


Fate

by Higgles123



Category: Warrior (2011)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 10:07:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24967936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgles123/pseuds/Higgles123
Summary: Tommy Conlon and Kat end up bumping into each other twice within the space of a few days and they share a mutual attraction
Relationships: Tommy Conlon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

Tommy Conlon often wandered the darkened streets of Pittsburgh alone for one reason or another. Sometimes he was walking home from a late session at Colt’s Gym and other times he was just clearing his head. Nah, who was he kidding? Tommy’s idea of clearing his head was going to a bar and getting shit faced just so he could escape from all the crap in his head. It was funny really because since getting his own apartment, he had found himself spending more time at his old home with his old man just because it was better than being alone.

Tonight he was heading home from the gym when he noticed a young woman walking alone in front of him. There was nothing unusual or suspect about her but something fell out of her pocket, and picking up his speed, Tommy realised it was a key of some sort. He watched the woman turn the corner onto the next street and called after her as he turned the corner after her.

“Hey Miss, excuse me. I think you dropped this,” he shouted after her again but she either didn’t hear him or she chose to ignore him. Tommy decided it was most likely to be the latter because she began to walk quicker as though to get away from it. “Listen, I think you dropped your key. If you can just stop for a minute then I can give it to you.”

Tommy sighed and muttered a choice expletive under his breath as he watched her feet start to move even faster than they already were to begin with. Her speed was no match for him though and he caught up to her in mere seconds. Touching her shoulder gently, he opened his mouth to reassure her that he was only trying to return her key when she turned around and blinded him.

“I don’t know who you are, pal, but I’m going to give you exactly three seconds to get away from me or I’ll set off my rape alarm and people will come,” she warned.

“Jesus fucking Christ lady,” he groaned, rubbing at his eyes as whatever the fuck she had sprayed at him burned his eyeballs to death.

“I mean it,” she didn’t let up. “Two more seconds.”

“You’re fucking crazy,” Tommy spat, chucking the silver key on the floor close to her feet. “I was trying to do a good deed and you’ve fucking blinded me.”

“Well in my defence, a man in a hoodie was following me and how did I know you weren’t trying to attack me? Do you even know what the crime rate is around here?” she answered, scooping down to pick up the key from the floor. “And you’re not blinded; well at least not permanently. Just rinse your eyes out with some warm water and you’ll be fine.”

“That’s it?” Tommy exclaimed. “No thanks, no nothing? I do you a favour; you spray fucking acid in my face and then you’re just about to walk off like nothing’s happened. I’m fucking blind for Christ’s sake.”

The woman stopped for a moment and chewed on her lip, deciding what to do. She did feel somewhat guilty considering the man really had only been trying to return her key, but she was well within her right to carry pepper spray and even more within her right to use it if she felt threatened by someone. With a reluctant sigh, she yanked open her handbag and pulled out a half full bottle of water.

“Here,” she handed it to Tommy. “It’s water.”

“You sure?” he grunted but he poured it over his eyes nonetheless. The relief was almost instantaneous as he managed to open his eyes and clear his blurred vision somewhat.

“Better?”

“A little,” he muttered, getting a good look at his assailant.

His first thought was that she was tiny; easily only five foot nothing. His second thought was that despite being undoubtedly deranged, she was beautiful. Her auburn hair was tied back from her round face and her eyes were so blue that he could make out their colour even in the darkness that surrounded them both.

“I’m sorry,” she apologised, screwing up her button nose. “I just… listen, I’m new here and I guess I’m still a little nervous walking around at night.”

“Can’t say I blame you,” Tommy admitted. “But usually for future reference, if a person’s going to attack you they don’t warn you by shouting first.”

“I guess so,” she shrugged. “I really am sorry you know. Genuinely, I feel awful.”

“Yeah well, I suppose there’s no permanent damage done,” Tommy shrugged. “But I would really feel a whole lot better if you would put that little spray back in your purse.”

“Oh of course,” the woman nodded, shoving it away hurriedly before looking up at him again. “I’m Kat. Well, Katherine but only my mom calls me Katherine and it makes me feel like I’m trouble so I just go back by Kat. Kat O’Donnell”

“Tommy,” he replied. “Tommy Conlon.”

“Nice to meet you, Tommy Conlon,” Kat held out a hand with a smile.

Tommy just eyed her warily. She was like a smiling assassin this woman. One minute she had been spraying him and now she was behaving like they had just met in a bar or something. Given her obviously deranged mental state, Tommy decided it was better to just along with her and he took the hand she offered.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“Aw and you almost sounded like you meant that,” she grinned. “Well, as lovely as _this_ has been, I really should get going. Got an early shift in the morning and I’ll be no good to anyone if I don’t get some sleep. You know, I really am sorry again for, uh, spraying you in the face.”

“It’s all good,” Tommy waved her off. “Just maybe next time take an Uber or something then you won’t have to worry about carrying your little spray to fend off would be attackers.”

“Ha, that’s what you think,” she snorted. “Do you know on average how many women are assaulted by Uber drivers in this country alone?”

“Er no,” Tommy muttered. “Although I feel like you’re about to tell me.”

“You’re damn right I am,” Kat nodded. “3500 women last year in just the US. So I’d sooner take my chances out on the street where I can spray someone and run away then be stuck in a vehicle and not be able to escape.”

“Good to know,” Tommy rolled his eyes. “I think I can safely speak on behalf of all males when I say that despite being the size of a small child, you’re a fearsome foe that’s for sure. Just a word of advice though next time? Try to only spray someone when you’re certain they’re actually trying to attack you, yeah? Cos the next guy might not be as forgiving as me about the whole situation.”

“Duly noted,” she smirked. “Well, see you around, Tommy Conlon.”

Tommy watched her walk away and couldn’t place the fuzzy feeling in his chest. He had a feeling this wasn’t the last time he would come across Kat O’Donnell, and strangely he was more than alright with that.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Two nights later_

Tommy took the stack of twenty dollar notes from the bartender without even bothering to count them. One thousand dollars just for knocking out a couple of guys who had no business being in the cage with him anyway. Tommy knew he was better than these random fights in dingy bar parking lots but they were easy money, and after Sparta he wasn’t sure he wanted to do anything with quite the same level of media coverage again. The busy bartender slammed a neat Jameson down in front of Tommy, and he nursed the drink while his eyes scoured the room. Seeing nothing of interest, he stared into the amber liquid in his glass and tried not to think about how much his shoulder was already hurting.

“For a guy who just won a thousand dollars you sure look like a right misery.”

Tommy looked up with a scowl, but his face immediately softened when he saw the person who had taken the bar stool next to his.

“You stalking me?” he couldn’t help but grin. “Cos I tell you lady, you got exactly three seconds to disappear otherwise I’m gonna have to call for help.”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Kat chuckled, her azure eyes twinkling playfully.

The bartender came to take her order, giving Tommy the opportunity to look at her without seeming too obvious. Even sat down beside him she was so small and when his eyes slid down her gently curved body he noticed the skirt of her dress stopped halfway down her thighs, affording him a glimpse of shapely legs that somehow managed to look ridiculously long due to the high heeled shoes she wore. Her hair was down tonight, flowing down her back in waves and the front was braided into a sort of crown around her head, keeping it back from her face which was rosy and flushed.

“So, you wanna explain why you look like someone just walked into your house and set fire to the place?” she turned back to him with a raised eyebrow.

“What do you want me to do?” he shrugged. “Jump about and whoop or something?”

“Well that’s what I’d do,” she replied.

“Good job I aint you then.”

The bartender appeared again and set four glasses of wine down in front of Kat, who immediately began to rifle around her purse for some money.

“I got these,” Tommy handed a note over to the bartender, telling him to keep the change. “These all for you?”

“No,” Kat grinned. “I came with a few girls from work and it was my round. Although, I guess I should say thank you to you for this one.”

“No problem,” Tommy tipped his drink towards her. “After all, I just won a thousand bucks right?”

“Right,” Kat nodded. “So uh, I should get back to my friends.”

But even after saying the words, Kat made no effort to move. She and Tommy just looked at each other, both waiting for the other to speak first.

“So, my friend, Stacey is really big MMA fan and she dragged me here tonight,” Kat said after a minute or so. “Her brother is in the marines and is a really big fan of yours apparently so she persuaded a few of us to come with her.”

“Uh huh,” Tommy nodded, suddenly looking very uncomfortable.

“She, uh, told me you were in the marines a couple of years ago.”

“And?” Tommy asked, downing the rest of his drink and slamming the glass down on the bar.

“And nothing,” Kat shrugged. “Was just making conversation. I mean, I didn’t wanna be a rude bitch who just let you buy her and her friends a drink and then disappeared on you.”

“No, if anyone’s being rude it’s me,” Tommy sighed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “I just… you know I do these things just for the money and the whole getting recognised thing makes me feel uncomfortable, you know. And as for the marines… well, that’s kinda something I don’t like to talk about.”

“So we won’t talk about it,” Kat smiled genuinely. “But you know, I really should get back to the girls before they send out a search party or something.”

“Sure thing,” Tommy nodded, unable to dampen the spark of disappointment in his stomach. He realised he didn’t want her to leave. He wanted to talk with her more and just act like a normal fucking human being. “I could help you carry your drinks if you want?”

“Oh you don’t have to do that,” Kat waved him off. “I mean, just cos you paid for them doesn’t mean you gotta play waiter as well.”

“Nah, I don’t mind honestly.”

“Alright then,” Kat smirked, standing up. “But it’ll be your funeral because the second Stacey sees you, she’ll be all over you like a fly on crap.”

“I think I can handle it,” Tommy smirked.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Turns out Kat had not been lying because the blonde haired girl she worked with was like a child at Christmas, and Tommy had forced himself to remain calm and polite when all he wanted to do was run away.

“So how on earth do you know our Kit Kat?” Stacey asked, once she’d finally stopped grilling Tommy on different moves and who he thought were going to be contenders for this year’s Sparta.

“I don’t,” he answered. “Well, not really. We just kinda bumped into each other the other night and then again just before at the bar.”

“You’re being far too polite, Tommy,” Kat snorted, taking a sip of her drink. “Remember I told you guys about the poor man I pepper sprayed the other night?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Stacey clapped a hand over her mouth in horror while the other girls burst out laughing. “You pepper sprayed Tommy fucking Conlon?”

“Guilty,” Kat grimaced. “But he lived to tell the tale so it’s all good.”

“You pepper sprayed Tommy Conlon,” Stacey shook her head in disbelief. “Tommy fucking Conlon.”

Tommy wished she would stop saying his name like he was some sort of God because it was really putting the creepers up him. He stood up abruptly as a strange feeling of panic crept over him and his palms began to sweat. The room began to sway and suddenly everything felt like it was closing in on him.

“I, uh, listen guys I gotta go,” he said, throwing down a couple of twenty dollar notes on the table. “Have another round on me, yeah?”

Kat tried to chase after Tommy; to check he was alright but for such a big man, he didn’t half move with speed, and he was gone before Kat could even get anywhere near him. She sighed. There was just something about the guy that was intriguing- and not to mention he was extremely good looking. Truthfully, lips like that were made for kissing and she wouldn’t say no given half the chance. Well, she _wouldn’t_ have said no, but now she wouldn’t even get the option because it was doubtful fate was going to send Tommy Conlon her for a third time. She would be so lucky.


	2. Chapter Two

_Two weeks later_

Kat hissed as the cute ball of fluff on the table clamped its sharp feline teeth around her thumb in objection to being poked and prodded at all for the sake of its annual check up.

“Mother of all things holy, that hurt,” she mumbled to herself as she removed her now bleeding appendage and smiled reassuringly at the owner, who was a sweet old lady but completely spoiled her cat to the point where the little thing wouldn’t do anything it didn’t want to. “Well, Mrs Abelson, you’ll pleased to know that everything looks good with Jemima, so I’ll trim her claws for you and then you can be on your merry way.”

“Thank you, dear,” the old lady smiled, fishing around her purse for a treat for the cat.

Gathering the clippers, along with an immense amount of courage for what was about to come, Kat was ready to face Jemima once more, and she wasn’t sure whether or not to be thankful when there came a knock at the door.

“Sorry to bother you,” Stacey popped her head around the door. “But there’s a gentleman outside who wants a word with you.”

“What gentleman?”

“I don’t know,” Stacey shrugged, although her grinning eyes told a different story. “I’ll just tell him to wait until you’re done with Jemima, yeah?”

“Yes please,” Kat nodded, wondering who on earth would be coming to see her at work. Oh she prayed to God it wasn’t Mr Malkovich from last week, who had hinted at taking her for dinner, and seemingly was not put off by the fact that she had told him there was a strict no fraternising with patients policy.

“Okey dokey,” Stacey smiled before muttering under her breath, “Good luck.”

Ha. Kat had needed more than good luck to come away from claw clipping Jemima unscathed. By the end, her arms were covered in scratches, along with her hands and also a nice big claw mark along the front of her neck. She looked like she had just gone ten rounds with wolverine and not a sweet little ginger kitty who was now back in her little pet stroller, looking like an absolute angel. She had almost completely forgotten about the gentleman who had asked to see her, until she saw the grin on Stacey’s face when she reached the reception desk. Following Stacey’s not so subtle gaze, Kat felt her heart do a little leap when she saw him stood there, hands in the pockets of his sweats, looking about as comfortable as a tiger in a cage.

“Tommy?” Kat smiled, somehow managing to get her legs to move towards him despite the fact that they felt as though they might give out at any moment. “What are you doing here?”

“I, uh, just wanted to come by and see you,” he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

“How did you even know I worked here?”

“Well, the other night when we were at the bar, your friends mentioned about you guys working together at a vets and well, turns out there are quite a lot of veterinary practices in the area but this was the only one with a Katherine O’Donnell working at it,” Tommy explained with a small smirk.

“Oh wow, so not only do you attack poor defenceless women in the street, but you’re also a certified stalker?” Kat teased drolly. “Quick, someone call the cops.”

“If anyone needs to call the cops about something, it should be regarding whoever did that to you,” Tommy frowned, motioning towards her neck.

“Oh this,” she grinned. “Yeah, got into a fight with a cat and the cat won, as you can see. But don’t worry, this is nothing; I once had a rather unfortunate incident with a hamster that managed to get down my top and bit me right on the boob. Not that you particularly needed or wanted to know that, but whatever.”

Tommy smiled. He couldn’t help himself. She was adorable. Her mouth was just running away with her and he could tell by the flush on her cheeks that he had ruffled her feathers by turning up at her work unannounced.

“So, uh, you’re a vet nurse huh?”

“What gave it away?” Kat smirked. “Was it the badge that says ‘ _Kat O’Donnell, Veterinary Nurse_ ’? I did ask them to give me one that said ‘ _Kat O’Donnell, female doctor doolittle’_ but they said no.”

“That’s sad,” Tommy smirked back. “But judging by the state of you, you’re no doctor doolittle.”

“Ouch,” Kat pretended to pout. “Anyway, was there a reason that you came by?”

“Yeah actually,” Tommy nodded. “I, uh, was wondering if you wanted to maybe go and grab some lunch or something?”

“Oh, I already had my break,” Kat grimaced.

“No problem,” Tommy sucked on his bottom lip lightly while he thought about how to recover from basically being turned down. “Well, I guess I’d better let you get on then?”

“Yep,” Kat smiled. “I’am assisting with an operation to remove a tapeworm from a dog in a minute.”

“Nice,” Tommy pulled a face. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around then.”

“Sure. Goodbye Tommy.”

Tommy walked out of the veterinary clinic feeling like a first class fool. He was certain that she would have said yes and for some reason it wasn’t just his ego that was bruised but strangely it was his heart as well. It had been a long time since he had found himself interested in a female and there had been something special about this one; or so he had thought.

“Tommy!”

He stopped and turned to see Kat come running after him like she had the devil on her heels.

“I, uh, I just wanted to let you know that I finish at six,” she came to a stop in front of him, her chest heaving and strands of hair falling loose out of her ponytail. “I mean, if you’re not busy later maybe we could get a bite to eat?”

“Tonight?” Tommy wanted to; God knew he really wanted to but he had promised Pop he’d come to his AA meeting, and seeing as he was the reason for the old man having taken up drinking again after so long sober, he owed it to him. “You know, I’ve got plans this evening, but maybe if you give me your number we could sort something out for tomorrow or whenever works for you?”

“Sounds good to me,” Kat beamed, taking Tommy’s phone when he held it out. She quickly saved her details and then darted back inside ready for the tapeworm extraction.

And as for Tommy. Well he was fairly certain he grinned all the way home like an absolute buffoon.

…………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… ……………………

_The next day_

Kat’s knee bobbed up and down nervously as she sat at the table, waiting for Tommy to show. She looked at her phone to check he hadn’t called or text, but there was nothing. He wasn’t coming. She’d been stood up. Oh god, this was just going to be like back in high school when Martin McKinnon was supposed to take her to prom but at the last moment he ended up taking Lauren Houseman. Scrolling through instagram, she tried to pretend that she wasn’t nervous about having to do the walk of shame back out of the restaurant when she finally gave up on Tommy coming. It was going to be pathetic.

“Anything interesting on there?”

Kat looked up and was certain she couldn’t breathe. How was it humanly possible for a man to look as beautiful as he did? His usual sweats and hoodie combo had been swapped for a pair of dark jeans and navy shirt that matched his brooding eyes.

“Sorry I’m late,” Tommy apologised, sliding into the seat opposite her. “There was a burst pipe at the gym and I was frantically trying to get an emergency plumber out.”

“Oh no,” Kat grimaced. “That’s terrible.”

“Yeah, Colt- the guy who owns the gym- was pissed so I was glad to get out of there, to be honest,” Tommy murmured.

“Not because you were excited about seeing this adorable face?” Kat chuckled playfully.

“I was actually,” Tommy answered quickly, his eyes flickering down towards the menu in front of him before returning to Kat’s. “Although I’d say you look more than adorable tonight.”

Kat blushed and bit back a grin, pretending to be very interesting in looking at her own menu, but she could feel Tommy looking at her and she felt his foot touch hers underneath the table. How on earth was she supposed to be able to eat in front of this perfect male specimen when all she wanted to do was stare at him and drool? This was going to be the biggest test of self control she had ever faced.

…………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… ……………………

Tommy had thoroughly enjoyed himself. Usually he found situations like this awkward as hell, but with Kat the time passed by easily. In fact, it passed far too quickly for his liking. Her bubbly personality had a way of bringing him out of his shell, and he found himself telling her all about his childhood, his mother and even Manny. Instead of patronising him like people usually did, she unexpectedly reached for his hand and said something that somehow meant a lot coming from a woman he hardly knew.

_“I won’t bullshit you and pretend that I know what it’s like to go through things because I don’t. I had the perfect childhood and a wonderful life, so I have no idea what it feels like to have gone through the things you have,” she had said. “But I know that it takes a strong person to get through it all, and from what you’ve said I know you don’t see yourself that way but I most certainly do.”_

After dinner, they went for a drink at the bar just around the corner. Sitting in a quiet booth, Tommy realised as he listened to Kat regale him with a tale about how she had sucked up her brother’s pet gerbil up the vacuum by accident as a kid, which then led to her deciding she wanted to be a vet nurse, that in the space of a few weeks this woman had encompassed his every waking- and sleeping thought- and he wanted it to remain that way. Only he wanted more than just thinking about her; he _needed_ more.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Kat asked suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.

“Like what?”

“I don’t actually know,” she admitted with an embarrassed grin. “I just… yeah, you know what? I don’t even know what I’m talking about.”

Taking a sip of her wine, Kat pretended to glance around the room, hoping that Tommy didn’t think she was as idiotic as she felt right about now.

“I was thinking that you’re beautiful.”

“Excuse me,” Kat choked on her drink and blinked.

“I said, I was thinking that you’re beautiful,” Tommy murmured, his intense eyes swallowing her whole as he idly fingered a lock of her hair that rested close to his hand.

His lips twitched ever so slightly with a hint of a smirk as he eyed Kat’s lips, noticing the way her pupils dilated and her breathing became shallow. The tip of her tongue darted out to lick at her lips and Tommy couldn’t help himself. His lips met with hers softly at first, his tongue licking tentatively at her lips, seeking entry which she gave willingly. Cupping her face, he groaned at the taste of the white wine on her tongue as it suckled at his, while one of her hands rested lightly on his thigh, close to the erection that was straining painfully against his jeans. Tilting her head back to deepen the kiss, Tommy entangled his hands in her hair, kissing her until he couldn’t breathe. They were both breathless when they pulled apart and when he took Kat’s hand in his, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb, he grinned at the blush that spread across her cheeks.

“You wanna get out of here?” he asked.

Kat nodded and down the last of her drink before yanking on her jacket and grabbing her purse. The second they were out of the bar, Tommy pushed her against the wall of the adjacent alleyway and kissed her like he was desperate to. Kissing her was addictive; it was like the oxygen he needed to breathe. She was intoxicating and he needed more of her, but no matter how much he kissed her, it just didn’t seem enough. His body was pressed again hers and her hands clawed desperately at his hair when he brushed his thumb across her nipple through the thin material of her dress.

“Tommy,” she moaned against his mouth. “We should stop.”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed, nipping at her bottom lip before reluctantly pulling away. “Sorry, I got carried away.”

“It’s ok; I just didn’t think that the homeless guy who lives at the end of this alley needed to see us getting it on,” Kat smiled, reaching up and patting down his hair where she had mussed it all up. “Do you wanna come back to mine?”

“You sure about that?” Tommy answered with a smirk. “Because I can’t guarantee I’m gonna be able to stop next time.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to,” Kat bit her lip playfully.

Tommy grinned as he allowed Kat to take his hand and lead him down the road. All he could think about was getting her in bed and making her cum over and over again until she couldn’t take anymore, and then afterwards holding her while she slept. When had Tommy Conlon ever wanted to stay the night with a woman let alone cuddle her as they slept?

Tommy knew without a shadow of a doubt he was already falling for her, and strangely enough he was alright with it.


	3. Chapter Three

“Tommy please.” 

  
Tommy grinned against Kat’s wet centre as his tongue licked leisurely, flicking against her clit and drawing her close to orgasm before swiftly moving right as she was about to reach her peak. He couldn’t get enough of her; the noises she made were driving him crazy. The sun was starting to rise in the sky but Tommy and Kat hadn’t even entertained the idea of sleep. Tommy wouldn’t let them, because all he wanted was to be touching her and using his mouth on her, letting himself feel the euphoric high that he usually got from a fight but that night he had found with Kat’s body. She tensed as his fingers curled inside of her, hitting right where she needed them to the most and he suckled on her clit while she trembled beneath him. He didn’t even give her a chance to get over the tremors wracking her entire being before he plunged himself inside of her, amazed that he was still able to get the big guy up again. It was like Kat was the human equivalent of taking HGH. 

  
“You feel so fucking good, Kat,” he murmured, lifting her legs up over his shoulders so he could thrust even deeper inside of her. 

  
“Ah Tommy,” she gasped, throwing her head back and grasping desperately at the bed sheet. 

  
“Fuck Kat, you gonna cum one more time for me, huh?” 

  
“Mm…no…can’t,” she murmured incoherently. 

  
“You can,” Tommy growled, grabbing her face and kissing her hard, sucking on her tongue while one of his hands rubbed at her clit. The second he felt her walls clenching around him, he grunted and his vision went white as he spilled himself inside of her. 

  
Collapsing on top of Kat, Tommy kissed her tenderly as they both tried to steady their breathing and he smiled when she cupped his face gently. 

  
“You’re an insatiable man, Tommy Conlon,” she grinned, her finger tracing the outline of his full lips. “And I am so glad I don’t gotta go to work tomorrow, well today, because I would be about as much use as a chocolate fire guard I swear. I think you’ve killed me.” 

  
“If I haven’t, then next time I will,” he smirked, lying down beside her and pulling her into his arms. 

  
“Next time?” Kat raised an eyebrow, her eyes twinkling playfully. “Who said anything about a next time?” 

  
“Oh it’s like that, is it?” Tommy narrowed his eyes. “You get your wicked way with me, numerous time I may add, and then that’s it?”

  
“Damn you caught on to my plan,” she chuckled, pulling the covers up over them both. “So, uh... are we done for tonight?” 

  
“You kicking me out?” 

  
“No,” Kat slapped his chest lightly. “I just... well I’m kinda tired and a little bit sore so I was just checking whether or not you expected round whatever the next one will be or can we go to sleep?” 

  
“I guess I could take pity on you,” Tommy grinned, kissing her on the top of the head. “Close your eyes, Kat and when we wake up, I promise to take you out for breakfast.” 

  
“So you’re staying then Conlon?” 

  
“Too right I am,” he answered, nuzzling his stubbled chin against her neck while his hands wandered the curves of her body, before settling on her full breasts. “Only a crazy man would give up the chance to fall asleep holding onto these pillows.” 

  
Kat’s throaty laugh was the last thing Tommy heard before sleep claimed them both. 

……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..…………

Kat woke up with a groan. Everything was sore and she felt like she had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. And judging by the bruises on her thighs, she looked like she had too. She rolled over expecting to see Tommy but instead the bed was empty, and the space beside her was cold meaning he had been gone for some time. She picked up her phone to see that it was past lunchtime but there was were no messages from Tommy. Disappointment pricked at her as she realised he must have purposely left before she woke up. It wasn’t like he owed it to her to stay but like an absolute idiot, she had really believed that he wanted this to be more than just a one night thing. Well wasn’t that just men for you? Pulling on some underwear and a t shirt, Kat decided to scour the cupboards for something to eat when a knock at the door disturbed her. 

  
“Tommy, what are you doing here?” she frowned, wishing she had run a brush her knotted hair. 

  
“I promised you breakfast,” he grinned, holding up a carrier bag. “And I needed to go home and change.”

  
Kat’s stomach gurgled loudly as the smell of whatever was in the bag wafted up her nostrils. Her face broke out into a wide smile as she let Tommy in and he managed to press his body against hers exaggeratedly as he came past. 

  
“Stop ogling me, Katherine,” Tommy smirked, pushing his hips against hers briefly. 

  
“Call me that name again and you can get out, Conlon,” she narrowed her eyes playfully. 

  
“You say that right, but I know for a fact I could call you whatever I want to and you won’t ask me to leave,” he answered confidently, dumping the food on the kitchen table. 

“Is that right?” Kat scoffed, turning around to make herself a coffee.

“Uh huh,” Tommy was behind her before she heard him, his hands wrapped around her waist, dangerously close to her breasts while his mouth nibbled at her neck. “You need me to prove to you why?”

“Maybe after you let me eat,” Kat giggled, turning around and planting a kiss against his mouth before pulling back and grimacing. “Oh I’m sorry if I have the most disgusting morning breath ever.”

“Didn’t even notice,” Tommy winked, pulling her in for another kiss to prove his point. He pulled back and grinned down at her flushed face, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Come on, food’s gonna get cold.”

……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..…………

“You’ve never watched Toy Story? What is wrong with you?”

“I’m a grown fucking man with better things to do than spend my time watching children’s movies,” Tommy muttered.

The evening was drawing in as Tommy and Kat lay on her sofa in the exact position they had been in for the past few hours, watching movies and just talking. Tommy knew he should go home, and he really should check in with his old man at some point, but right now he was content to be just doing this.

“It’s more than just a children’s movie,” Kat was incredulous. “It’s a movie about friendship and acceptance and a bunch of other things that I can’t think of right now but when I do I’ll be sure to tell you.”

“It’s ok, I won’t lose any sleep,” Tommy snorted. “Right, so we’ve established that you have appalling taste in movies, but what about music? This is where you get to try and redeem yourself.”

“First of all, I have amazing taste in movies and I in no way need to redeem myself. And second of all, my music taste is phenomenal too.”

“Is that right?” Tommy was doubtful. “Who’s your favourite singer then?”

“Oh that’s easy, Dolly Parton.”

“Dolly Parton?” Tommy grimaced. “That’s worse than I thought it was gonna be.”

“Excuse me, what’s wrong with Dolly?” Kat was appalled. “She’s a literal icon.”

“If you say so,” Tommy smirked, taking a sip of his beer.

“Alright then, Mr big music man, what about you?”

“Meh,” he shrugged. “Don’t really got a favourite artist per se, but I am most definitely partial to a bit of Kanye or Eminem or something.”

“Oh I see,” Kat nodded understandingly. “You prefer to listen to people talk to a beat as opposed to actually sing to one.”

“I’ll have you know that rap artists deal with a lot of very varied themes,” he answered, mocking her earlier words and drawing a reluctant laugh from her.

“Shut up,” she rolled her eyes.

“Make me,” Tommy murmured, yanking her on top of him and cupping her face.

While his hands upon her may have been gentle, the look in his eyes was anything but. It was searing and Kat could feel herself getting wet from just that look alone. She shifted uncomfortably which only made things worse and Tommy’s eyes darkened as his hands slid beneath the long t shirt she wore.

“I think this needs to come off,” he murmured, yanking it up over her head when she didn’t object. His eyes stared at her nakedness shamelessly as his hands fondled her bottom beneath the thin material of her knickers. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his, his hands tugging at her underwear. “And I think these should come off too.”

As she stood up to wriggle out of her underwear, Tommy all but tore off his own clothes and sat back down on the sofa waiting for her to climb up on top of him and impale herself on his member. Kat hissed at the full feeling of Tommy inside her. She was still sore from the previous night, but as soon as Tommy took hold of her hips and began to move her all she felt was pleasure. Tommy’s hands were everywhere all at once, driving her crazy along with his mouth which sucked at her nipples almost painfully until she collapsed on top of him as her orgasm knocked the wind out of her. Flipping her onto her back, Tommy pounded into her without mercy until he came inside of her with a growl.

“I swear to God, I don’t think I’m ever gonna be able to get enough of you,” he murmured against her mouth as their slick bodies stuck together.

“That’s fine by me,” Kat smiled.

……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..…………

“I should be going,” Tommy yawned. It was nearing midnight and Kat was half asleep on the sofa; the remnants of the Chinese they’d ordered for dinner sat on the coffee table begging to be cleaned up. “Gotta get to the gym early in the morning for training.”

“And I’ve got work,” Kat sighed sleepily.

“Maybe we could grab a bite to eat tomorrow evening?” Tommy suggested. “Unless you’re fed up of me.”

“Not at all,” Kat shook her head. “I’d like that.”

Tommy nodded and went to get his shoes. When he returned, he couldn’t help but smile to see Kat fast asleep, lightly snoring. He grabbed a blanket from the bedroom and placed it over her gently, kissing her softly on the top of the head before leaving quietly.

Back at his apartment, Tommy was reluctant to shower because he didn’t want to wash away the remnants of Kat that lingered upon his skin, but the lure of the boiling hot water was just too hard to resist. Towelling himself afterwards, he wandered into the kitchen for a drink wondering how it was possible to miss someone he hardly knew so much. He ached to be with her again and he was praying with all of his heart that tomorrow night would come quickly. He shut off the lights and climbed into bed with an exhausted sigh and felt a frisson of excitement when his phone bleeped. His elation soon turned to disappointment when he saw the message from Brendan pop up.

_Hope you haven’t forgotten Rosie’s birthday party is on Saturday. The girls are really looking forward to seeing you. And me. Catch you later. Bren._

Tommy groaned, rubbing his face wearily. He hated how Brendan thought that just because he turned up to the occasional family dinner and helped the old man out that they were suddenly one big happy family now, when in reality they were far from it. Closing his eyes, Tommy put thoughts of Brendan to the back of his mind and drifted to sleep thinking of the girl with auburn hair who had managed to capture him without even trying.


	4. Chapter Four

Saturday came around far too quick for Tommy’s liking, and the only thing that was going to make this day even somewhat bearable was having Kat with him. She had been a little shocked when he invited her to a family event after literally like a week of being… well, they hadn’t exactly discussed what they were but considering that they had spent every night together this week, they were most definitely something. Of course, after Kat’s initial shock came the excitement of having to buy a present for an eight year old girl and knowing that she was going to attend a Frozen themed party. She had even forced Tommy to watch the movie the previous night so he would know what to expect, and he could keep up with the little kids.

“So how come we didn’t bring your Dad with us?” Kat asked, pulling down the sun visor to check her reflection in the small mirror.

“Because then we’d have to take him back home as well,” Tommy muttered.

Kat knew he didn’t like talking about his father and she couldn’t say she blamed him after the things he’d told her about his childhood, but she also knew that he went round there most evenings before he came to hers so there was obviously some sort of attachment there.

“Yeah but it would have just made a lot more sense for him to share the car with us,” Kat said. “And I reckon even you could have survived a couple of short journeys with your Dad.”

“Kat, I don’t wanna have to spend anymore time with him then I need to.”

“I know that, I was just saying it would have been polite for us to offer him a lift.”

“Would you just drop it?” he snapped angrily.

Kat was momentarily taken aback and she could feel tears pricking behind her eyes, but then she quickly blinked them away when she reminded herself that she hadn’t brought her emergency eyeliner in her purse. Her mother always told her never to let a man ruin your make up unless it’s to smudge lipstick around your mouth with a darn good kiss, and that was advice that Kat would stick by for the rest of her life.

“I’m sorry,” Tommy muttered quietly, reaching for her hand and lifting it to his mouth to kiss. “I shouldn’t have lost it with you, but I just hate stuff like this and I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“It’s alright,” she smiled genuinely, squeezing his hand slightly and noticing that not only were his palms sweaty but his hand was shaking a little too. “I shouldn’t have pressured you about your Dad.”

“It’s just complicated with him you know,” Tommy spoke, brushing his thumb across Kat’s knuckles in a gesture to soothe himself more than her. “It’s like on one finger I love him because despite everything he did to us and my mom growing up he’s still my dad, but then on the other four fingers I hate him. I know hate is a strong word but that’s how I feel. When I see him, when I’m around him, all of those feelings and memories from being a kid just come flooding back; all those memories of watching my mother praying to God to save her from the cancer because she couldn’t afford insurance. It’s just… I guess I don’t really know how to explain it. I have him in my life because I feel like I owe it to him. He was sober for three years nearly before I came back and fucked it up for him, and at the time I wanted him to hurt the way I hurt. But then when I saw the drunken mess he had become again, I realised it didn’t give me any satisfaction at all. Instead it just made me feel like I dishonoured myself.”

“So that’s why you go there every evening?” Kat asked softly. It wasn’t often Tommy opened up like this, but she felt like he really needed to right now.

“Yeah,” he nodded, sucking on his bottom lip as his eyes focused on the road ahead.

“And your brother? Brendan, isn’t it? Do you not have a good relationship with him?”

“It’s difficult,” Tommy shrugged. “I hated Brendan for years; fucking detested him for abandoning Mom and me all for the sake of some girl, and at Sparta when he tried to sort things about between us I wanted no part of it. I didn’t care about his wife or his kids or anything about his life because he was dead to me. Only he wasn’t. When we spoke for the first time, I was so angry but it was only because I was trying to convince myself I didn’t need him; just like I had never needed him. And I don’t. I don’t need Brendan; I don’t need anyone, but when I was inside after going AWOL he phoned and visited as much as he could and I realised that although I didn’t need him, a part of me wanted my brother again. But for some unknown fucking reason, the harder Brendan tries to make things seem normal, the more not normal I feel about it all and I push him away. Things never were and never will be normal for us as a family and I feel like instead of filling in the cracks he’s just trying to paint over them. You can’t see the cracks that way but they’re still there.”

“Have you tried telling him that?”

“No,” Tommy sighed. “I just… I don’t want all that emotional crap with him.”

“Sounds to me like you need,” Kat said honestly. “I mean, nobody’s saying it’s gotta be like an episode of Dr Phil where the two of you end up crying and declaring your undying brotherly love for one another, but you should tell him how you feel because I guarantee it will make things easier for both of you.”

“Maybe,” Tommy muttered, kissing Kat’s hand once again and turning to smile at her briefly. “You know if you ever think about giving up on animals you could be a therapist or something. You just got this way of making it easy to talk to you.”

“Well I am pretty amazing, let’s be honest,” Kat grinned.

“Yeah, you are.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tommy pulled up outside Brendan’s and even before they got out of the front door, the excited squeals of children in the back garden could be heard. Frozen banners and balloons decorated the front door, and there was even an igloo and some fake snow on the front lawn. Brendan had the door open before Tommy and Kat had even made it up the path.

“Tommy,” Brendan beamed pulling his brother in for a handshake and a hug. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss Rosie’s birthday, Bren,” Tommy mumbled, looking at his feet in an attempt to avoid eye contact with his much friendlier brother.

“And you must be Kat,” Brendan deduced. “I’m Brendan, Tommy’s brother. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And you,” Kat smiled, shaking his hand as a blonde haired woman appeared with a stack of gifts in her hands.

“This is my wife, Tess,” Brendan introduced.

“Hi guys,” Tess said jauntily. “I’m not being rude but I’m going to put these away before my arms fall off.”

“Oh, do you want a hand?” Kat asked without hesitation.

“Sure, if you don’t mind,” Tess smiled gratefully. “I’m guessing you’re Kat, right?”

“That’s me,” Kat answered, taking a few of the gifts from Tess and following her towards the living room, with her own gift bag swinging on her wrist.

“I’ll bring her back once I’m done interrogating her, Tommy,” Tess called out playfully over her shoulder.

Tommy said nothing, just stood awkwardly with his hands in his pocket as Kat disappeared from sight.

“You wanna grab a quiet beer in the kitchen before we go outside and you get accosted by your nieces?” Brendan suggested.

“Yeah I suppose we can do,” Tommy agreed less than enthusiastically. “So, uh, how’s things?”

“Same as usual,” Brendan grinned. “Work’s good, Tess is good, kids are good. What about you? Still working at Colt’s when you’re not training?”

“Yep,” Tommy nodded, swigging almost half of his beer in go. “The old man here yet?”

“In the garden,” Brendan answered. “Got here about an hour ago. Tess has been stuffing him full of food in the hopes that he’ll sit quietly and for the most part he’s been fine. I mean, he was a shitty father but the girls couldn’t ask for a better grandfather really.”

“Oh well that makes it all fine then doesn’t it,” Tommy muttered and straight away he felt like an asshole. “Sorry Brendan, I didn’t mean that, and I’m not gonna start all that today.”

“Don’t worry about it, man,” Brendan smiled easily. “So Kat huh? She seems nice.”

“Yeah,” Tommy’s face broke out into a grin that made Brendan chuckle. “She’s uh, yeah, I like her a lot.”

“Never thought I’d see the day where my baby brother was finally smitten with a girl,” Brendan smirked.

“Fuck off,” Tommy rolled his eyes, hiding his grin behind another swig of his drink. But the truth was that Brendan was right. He was most definitely smitten.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was almost half an hour until Tommy set eyes on Kat again, and when he did he wondered how it was possible for a person to look so different in such a short space of time. Her long hair was hiding underneath a hideous blonde braided wig and her face was covered in purple and ice blue glitter that still wasn’t as bright as her beaming smile when she saw him.

“What happened to you?” Tommy frowned. “You look like a glitter bomb exploded on you.”

“I know,” she grinned.

“Doesn’t she look pretty, Uncle Tommy?” Emily appeared with a grin just like her father’s. “Mommy said that Kat is your special friend and me and Rosie decided to make her look like Princess Elsa.”

“And Mommy thinks that me and Emily don’t understand that special friend means girlfriend,” Rosie said knowingly.

“Hey it’s the birthday girl,” Tommy grinned, holding his arms out. “You too old for a hug from your favourite Uncle now you’re eight?”

“I’m not! I’m not!” Emily wrapped her arms around him tightly.

“Hey, Emily, it’s my birthday and I want to hug Uncle Tommy,” Rosie scowled, shoving her younger sister out of the way.

“I got plenty of hugs for both my favourite girls,” Tommy chortled.

“Uncle Tommy, what about Kat?” Emily frowned up at him. “Is she not your favourite girl, too?”

“Course she is,” Tommy grinned at Emily and then at Kat. “Do you think I should hug her too?”

“Yes,” Emily clapped happily while her sister pulled a face. “And you gotta kiss her like Daddy kisses Mommy.”

“So disgusting. I think I just sicked in my mouth,” Rosie grimaced, causing Tommy and Kat to laugh because who knew eight your olds had so much sass these days.

Tess’ voice sounded across the lawn, informing all of the guests that it was time to open the presents and Emily and Rosie took off without a second glance back at Tommy and Kat.

“So, you really don’t like the blonde hmm?” Kat winked, fingering her long braid teasingly.

“The blonde isn’t what I object to,” Tommy smirked, stepping towards her so their bodies were touching. “It’s the glitter that’s the problem. You’re not getting in my truck with that stuff all over you.”

“No?” Kat raised an eyebrow. “So just how do you propose I get home then?”

“Walk?”

“I’m not walking all the way back to Pittsburgh,” Kat pulled a face.

“Well, I suppose I could be persuaded to forget my glitter aversion and let you come home with me,” Tommy murmured, his eyes twinkling playfully.

“Oh yeah? And how can I persuade you?”

“I’ll think of something, don’t you worry. And I reckon we got about twenty minutes until the present opening is finished, so we could find somewhere quiet to sneak off and you can start showing me just how much you don’t wanna walk back to the Burgh.”

“It’s your niece’s birthday party,” Kat frowned. “I’m not going anywhere quiet with you, you absolute pervert.”

“ _I’m_ a pervert?” Tommy asked incredulously. “This coming from the girl who just last night said something about wanting to lick chocolate sauce off my rock hard abs?”

Kat laughed, she couldn’t help it. He was insufferable but she adored it. Tommy grinned and pulled her into his arms, planting a kiss on her mouth and yanking the stupid blonde wig off of her head.

“Or we could just go home right now,” he murmured, nibbling at her earlobe. “And we can do something we’ll both enjoy.”

“Tommy?”

Kat pulled away from him in embarrassment at the raspy voice that interrupted them. Immediately Tommy’s demeanour changed noticeably and Kat frowned.

“Pop,” Tommy grumbled, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets and kicking at a stone on the floor. “You not watching Rosie opening her presents?”

“I was going to but then I saw you and thought I’d come by to say hello,” Paddy explained. “Are you gonna introduce me to your friend?”

“I guess,” Tommy sighed reluctantly, standing up a little straighter. “Kat, this is my Dad. Dad this is Kat.”

_Oh wow, what an introduction_ , Kat thought to herself. You could cut the tension with a knife right about now, and Kat almost wished there was a knife so she could stab herself in the eye with it and have no part in this awkward little meeting.

“Kat O’Donnell,” she smiled, sticking a hand out to the older man with what she hoped was a smile and not a grimace on her face. “Nice to meet you, Mr Conlon.”

“Call me Paddy,” he smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He took Kat’s hand and shook it firmly. “So you’re Tommy’s girlfriend?”

“Oh no,” Kat shook her head quickly, her eyes flicking alarmingly at Tommy. “I’m not his… I mean we’re not… we’re just… I-“

“-It’s not really any of your business,” Tommy muttered.

Paddy didn’t say anything, he just nodded and Kat could see that despite the way he tried to look like he didn’t care, the hurt in his eyes was obvious. She knew from what Tommy had told her that his father had been terrible back in the day, but she couldn’t but feel a little sorry for him right in that moment.

“You ready to go Kat?” Tommy asked suddenly.

“Now?”

“Yep,” he said in a clipped tone that Kat knew wasn’t directed at her. “I’ll see you later, Pop, alright?”

“Sure Tommy,” Paddy nodded. “Will you be round tonight?”

“Dunno,” Tommy shrugged.

“It was really nice to meet you, Mr Conlon,” Kat said, trying to ease some of the tension. “Maybe I’ll see you another time?”

“Of course,” Paddy smiled. “You’re more than welcome to come round with Tommy anytime. Maybe the two of you could come over for dinner one evening.”

“Let’s not try and pretend that this is like some happy little family thing we got going on, Pop,” Tommy mumbled. “Come on, Kat.”

Kat had no choice but to follow Tommy’s long angry strides through the back yard and out of the side gate. She did suggest quietly that perhaps they ought to say goodbye to Brendan and Tess, but Tommy just muttered something about calling them later and Kat left the matter. The drive home was quiet and strained. Tommy’s fingers tapped on the steering wheel while he ground his teeth so hard that Kat waited for one of them to crack. She kept opening her mouth to make conversation and then would close it again, berating herself for being such an idiot.

“You probably think I was a complete asshole to him, huh?” Tommy spoke just as they pulled up outside Kat’s apartment building.

“No,” she shook her head. “I don’t think you were an asshole, you were just…well, ok you were an asshole but I understand why.”

Even Tommy couldn’t help but quirk his lips at Kat’s honest words but he didn’t say anything else.

“Well, I’m just a barrel of laughs today, aren’t I?” Tommy smirked, looking over to her briefly.

“You’re not so bad,” Kat smiled, resting her head on his shoulder.

“No?”

“Nah,” Kat kissed his cheek. “You’re sweet and funny and perhaps a bit of a grumpy bastard sometimes, but I kind of like you.”

“That’s good,” Tommy murmured, cupping Kat’s face gently and peering into her eyes with a tenderness she hadn’t seen before. “Because I really, _really_ like you.”

“You do?” Kat breathed.

“Mmhmm,” Tommy brushed his lips against hers. “And I was thinking about the old man and what he said about you being my girlfriend.”

“Yeah?” Kat closed her eyes as he kissed her again, his tongue slipping inside her mouth.

“Yep.” Tommy pulled back with a grin. “I kinda liked how it sounded.”

“Is that right?” Kat narrowed her eyes playfully. “Tommy Conlon, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”

“No. Because asking means you’ve got an opportunity to say no, and I just can’t have that.”


	5. Chapter Five

_Four weeks later_

Paddy was sober. Again. Tommy should have been jumping for joy and praising the old man on his fortieth consecutive day of sobriety, but instead he was trying not to lose his temper. Just like every evening, he had come in to check on his father and just like every night for the past week, Paddy was trying his hardest to stir up old memories that were better forgotten. Only tonight it hurt even more than usual.

“She would have been fifty six today,” Paddy murmured, his misty eyes tracing the framed picture of his late wife.

“I know how old she would have been,” Tommy muttered, his fingers itching to yank the picture out of Paddy’s hands and demand to know just why the fuck he was sat there looking like he was about to cry. He had no fucking right whatsoever.

“She always looked so young for her age,” Paddy lamented. “Used to joke and say people would think she was my child bride because she looked too young to be married to me.”

“She didn’t look so young when the cancer fucked her over,” Tommy snarled. “Not when her skin turned yellow and her hair began to fall out, not from the treatment she couldn’t afford but from the cancer eating its way through her entire body like a parasite.”

“Tommy,” Paddy sighed, swallowing back the lump in his throat.

“I’m going now anyway,” Tommy stood up abruptly.

“Stay,” Paddy’s voice was begging. “I thought we could go out and get something to eat. Maybe go to your mom’s favourite diner.”

“Nah,” Tommy sniffed, his nostrils beginning to flare angrily. “I’m not gonna sit here with you and reminisce about the good old times with mom cos where you’re concerned there aren’t any. Not unless you wanna talk about the nights you came home shit faced and decided to punch me or Brendan instead of her? Huh? That what you wanna talk about, old man? Hm? Didn’t think so.”

Paddy sighed as the door slammed shut behind his youngest son. He didn’t expect Tommy to ever forgive him for the past; how could he when he didn’t even forgive himself? But a part of him hoped and prayed that one day Tommy might see it in his heart to not hold the past over him every time they saw one another. It was a lot to ask for but hope was all he had.

………………….. ………………….. ………………….. ………………….. ………………….. …………

Kat had on her fluffy pyjamas; the ones that she usually reserved for very specific occasions such as period pain days, or when she realised that Damian Lewis was married to Helen McCrory and she would never find herself swept off her feet by the auburn god with cheekbones to die for. Today was most definitely a fluffy pyjama today because she had lost one of her favourite patients. When Walter the cockapoo had been brought into the clinic last week after an accident, the prognosis wasn’t a good one but she hadn’t been able to stop herself from holding out hope that he’d pull through. She burst into tears as she yanked out the share size tub of Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food from the freezer and grabbed a spoon from the drawer, all the while thinking of the sweet little pup who had tried so hard to keep going even though his body was failing him. Flinging herself down on the sofa, Kat was about to press play on the dvd player and lose herself in her own misery when the doorbell rang.

“Go away,” she muttered to herself even as she got up to answer the door. “Tommy? I thought you weren’t coming by tonight.”

“Change of plan,” he shrugged, eyeing from beneath the hood of his grey sweater. “Am I interrupting something?”

“No,” she shook her head and opened the door wide to let him in. “Just got a date with Leo and Kate and an iceberg sized tub of ice cream.”

“Rough day then?” he frowned, shutting the door behind him and kicking off his shoes.

“Walter died,” Kat sighed.

“Aw baby,” Tommy pulled her in for a hug, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “I know you really were hoping that he was gonna be ok.”

“It’s just part and parcel of the job, I guess,” she sniffed, looking up at him with a few tears dribbling down her face. “But it just always makes me a little sad, especially when they’re as cute as Walter was.”

“Yeah, well that’s why you’re the loveliest human being I know, huh? You care and so it’s only natural that you’re gonna get upset when you can’t save one of the animals,” Tommy murmured, brushing the tears away with the back of his hand. “So I’m guessing that’s the reason for the fluffy jammies then?”

“Yep,” Kat nodded, flopping down on the couch and snuggling into Tommy immediately as he sat down beside her.

“And that’s also the reason for this?” he lifted up the tub of ice cream with a knowing look.

“And even though it’s a sharing tub, I totally planned on wallowing and eating every single spoonful to myself while I watch my movie.”

“Phish food aint my favourite anyway so you don’t gotta worry about sharing with me,” Tommy smirked, passing her the ice cream and putting his feet up on the coffee table. “What are we watching then?”

“I literally told you just a minute ago,” Kat rolled her eyes.

“No, you said we were watching Kate and Leo,” Tommy frowned.

“Yeah and an _iceberg_ sized tub of ice cream,” Kat tutted. “Come on, Conlon, surely you’re not that dense?”

“Oh excuse me for not immediately coming to the conclusion that someone who is already in a sad mood would want to spend three hours watching one of the saddest films on the planet,” Tommy scoffed as he eyed the _Titanic_ case on the table.

“Which is precisely _why_ someone would wanna watch it when they’re already sad,” Kat looked at him as though he was the one making no sense. “Just hear me out, okay? I’m sad already and I’m fairly certain I’ve got a lot of tears left inside of me that just need to come out so why not watch something to help me get them out at the same time as reminding myself that no matter how bad my day was, it was nowhere near as bad as finding my true love and then losing him on an ill fated journey in the Atlantic Ocean.”

“You’re such a little weirdo, you know that right?”

“Yeah, but you like me,” Kat grinned.

“Mmhmm, enough to even make sure that I let you fit on the door if we were floating out in the ocean,” Tommy grinned back, rubbing his nose against hers before kissing her deeply, pushing his tongue into her mouth and flicking it against her own.

“What about the movie?” Kat frowned, her chest heaving as Tommy pushed her onto her back and began to slide his hand beneath the waistband of her pyjama bottoms.

“It can wait,” he muttered, yanking down her pants and nipping at her hip with his teeth.

“The ice cream,” Kat protested weakly as Tommy flung her trousers behind him.

“Oh don’t worry about that, babe,” he winked, reaching over for the carton and pressing it against her already wet centre. “I lied when I said I wouldn’t be eating any of your ice cream.”

“Tommy,” Kat muttered hoarsely, swallowing when Tommy skimmed the top layer of ice cream off with his finger.

“Mm,” he hummed, sucking his finger as his eyes teased Kat’s playfully. “Tastes good, babe. Wonder how much better it’ll taste on you.”

………………….. ………………….. ………………….. ………………….. ………………….. …………

_It was dark. He couldn’t see where he was but he felt that familiar prickle of dread upon his skin. And then he heard it. The rattle; the laboured breath that haunted him every day._

_“Mom?” he whispered._

_“Please help me,” her weak voice begged._

_“Mom, where are you?”_

_“Why did you have to come with me instead of Brendan? He wouldn’t have let this happen to me.”_

_“Stop that,” Tommy’s voice cracked. “I tried Mom, I really tried.”_

_“Tommy, I can’t breathe.”_

_“Manny?” Tommy frowned. “That you?”_

_“Tommy,_ mi hermano _, look after Pilar and the kids for me.”_

_“Manny?”_

_“You have to look after them,” Manny appeared suddenly in front of him, his face burnt and disfigured and his eyes burning with hatred. “You did this, Tommy. This is your fault.”_

_“No,” Tommy shook his head, taking a step back only to trip over and land on a lumpy mattress that was wet and stained with urine and vomit. “Mom? Mom, please wake up.”_

_“It’s your fault, Tommy,” Manny’s voice sounded far away. “You’re poison and it’s all your fault this happened to us.”_

_“No,” Tommy clasped his hands to his ears desperately and shook his head. “You’re not real. This isn’t real. Please go away. It’s not my fault.”_

Tommy woke up with a start. His heart was racing and sweat dripped from him like he was in a sauna.

“Tommy?” he felt Kat’s hand on his shoulder and he flinched unintentionally. “Are you alright?”

He didn’t answer; just took off for the bathroom where he hurriedly splashed water over his face and stared at his sallow skin in the mirror. He felt sick to his stomach and when bile rose, he didn’t even try and fight it. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing, his heart clenching every time images of his mother and Manny flashed through his head on repeat. He sat hunched on the floor for a long while, listening to the drip of the tap wondering if a day would ever come when it wouldn’t hurt like this. Usually being with Kat kept those feelings at bay but he supposed there was only so long he could go until they rose to the surface once more. With a sigh, he splashed his face again and then padded back quietly to the bedroom where Kat was sat up in bed waiting for him.

“I didn’t want to come and pester you,” she explained as he climbed into bed beside her. “Are you ok?”

He didn’t answer. He just pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, closing his eyes as he breathed in her smell; trying to forget the smell of Manny’s burnt flesh and his mother’s failing body.

“Tommy,” she pulled away from him. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“Just a bad dream,” he muttered reluctantly. “Get them sometimes.”

“Wanna talk about it?” she asked, looking at him sadly. She had seen Tommy upset before her; she had seen him angry, but she had never seen him look quite so vulnerable as he did right now.

At first she thought he was going to ignore her; she could see the indecision in his face, in his eyes. He fiddled with the bedsheet, trying to distract himself and his eyes stared off into the distance. They may have been staring at the fuchsia swirling pattern before them, but they were truly looking at something she couldn’t see.

“It’s my mom’s birthday today,” he spoke quietly; so quietly that Kat wasn’t sure she heard him. “She woulda been fifty six.”

“Tommy,” Kat sighed, taking his hand and lifting it to her mouth. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Nothing _to_ say. Nothing at all. I just… sometimes I just wish that-“ his voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders back in a subconscious attempt to hide his emotions. He let out a breath and swallowed. “I’ve spent so many years wishing that it was my old man who died instead of her. Why did she have to go? Why did she deserve to die and in the way she did? She was kind and gentle while he was just a bastard who beat the shit out of her and us. And I know if she could hear me now she’d be hurt to know I even think such things let alone say them out loud.”

“You can’t help how you feel, Tommy,” Kat murmured, squeezing his hand gently.

“I know, but I just… you know what, I can’t even talk about this right now,” he sighed, reaching out to brush Kat’s hair back from her face. “I wanna forget about that shit right now. I just wanna lose myself with you. Come here.” Lying down on his back, Tommy pulled Kat up his body until her centre was level with his face. His tongue licked, savouring her taste as she squirmed against him, her hands clutching at the headboard for dear life. He licked and sucked at her clit as his fingers pumped in and out of her with an agonising slowness, curling inside of her each time.

“Tommy… ah… fuck,” she moaned.

“Ride my fucking face baby,” he ordered. “Make yourself cum like a good girl.”

“I can’t… I… ah…” she gasped as her orgasm hit her suddenly.

Tommy lapped up her juices like it was ambrosia fit for the Gods and before her shudders had even died down, he was pounding into her tight pussy from behind. He pulled at her hair, gripping it to steady himself while he watched her ass jiggle with each hard thrust. He could’t think about anything other than the pounding in his ears and the sweet little choking sounds she made as he fucked her even harder, his hand reaching around to pinch at her clit making her come again all over him. Her walls milked the explosive orgasm right out of him and he spilled himself inside of her with an uncharacteristic roar.

“Jesus Christ on a bike,” Kat muttered as Tommy collapsed against her, panting and his heart racing wildly.

He chuckled, a warm breathy sound that made her bark out a laugh. She tried to turn around and look at Tommy but he wouldn’t have it. He just held her even tighter and brushed his lips against her neck.

“Thank you, Kat,” he murmured.

“For what?”

“For just being you,” he answered, finally allowing her to turn over so that he could kiss her lips slowly. He could have kissed her forever; in fact he wanted to.

“We should get some sleep, babe,” Kat caressed his face tenderly, brushing back a lock of damp hair from his head. Tommy made a noise and Kat could see that he was reluctant to close his eyes in case his nightmare returned. “You ever spoken to anyone about these nightmares?”

“Shrink in jail tried to ask about them, and when I go for my therapy sessions they try,” he shrugged. “But I don’t like talking about them, especially not with strangers.”

“You could talk to me?” she suggested. “I mean, I get it if you don’t want to but if you ever did, I’d be here. I can’t promise to help make you feel better but I could at least just listen while you get it all out.”

“I appreciate that,” Tommy answered honestly. “But I’d sooner try and deal with them on my own; no offence to you.”

“None taken. I’m relieved to be honest cos the last thing I actually wanna be doing is listening to you bitching when I could be fucking you instead,” Kat teased, making Tommy chuckle.

But the second he got up to go to the bathroom, her smile fell. She was worried about him. Tommy had issues; he was upfront about them, but there was so much unresolved trauma inside of him that he was like a pot of water just waiting to boil over. Maybe if she didn’t feel herself falling a little bit closer to being in love with him every time she saw him it wouldn’t be such a concern, but the truth was that she had a feeling if he didn’t resolve his issues soon she would be wounded in the explosion. And so would her heart.


	6. Chapter Six

Tommy’s leg bobbed up and down uncontrollably as the shrink eyed him with an expression he couldn’t quite gage and then wrote something down on her notepad; her manicured nails filling with annoyance for some unknown reason.

“And how did it make you feel?”

“Losing my best friend? How do you think it made me feel?” Tommy scowled.

“Mr Conlon; Tommy? I think we know each other well enough by now to go on first name terms,” the woman peered over her delicate silver framed glasses at him. “If you don’t start talking to me about your feelings then we’re not going to get very far with these meetings, hm?”

“I don’t wanna be here anyway,” Tommy muttered, wishing she would stop talking to him like a fucking child. “I’m only here cos it was part of my condition for getting outta jail sooner. I don’t need or want to talk about my problems with no one, lady.”

The woman sighed, removing her glasses as though somehow it made her seem more approachable but Tommy kept those walls up around himself.

“Tommy,” she spoke quietly. “I know how hard this is-“

“-No,” he cut her off abruptly, standing to his feet suddenly. “You don’t know anything about me. Not a goddamn thing.”

“Sit down, Tommy,” she ordered gently, completely unfazed by his outburst.

“No. We’re done.”

As Tommy ran out of the room and through the building, he was vaguely aware of the surprise on the desk clerk’s face as she asked him when he wanted to schedule his next appointment, and he could hear the therapist trying to catch up to him in her click clacky stilettos before giving up. He burst out onto the street, barely apologising when he knocked into a woman pushing a small toddler in a buggy. Head down, hands clenched; he began to run without even knowing where he was going. His ears were pounding and his chest was palpating. The sweat running down his face had nothing to do with his physical exertion; nor did the trembling of his legs as he struggled to keep upright. He ran into an alleyway and sat down on the floor, resting his back against the wall, letting the cold seep through his thin t shirt and bring him back to reality. Out on the street, a car exhaust backfired and he dived to the ground, covering his ears, biting down on his lip as he tried not to cry.

Tommy lay there, waiting for his body to stop shaking and waiting for the sounds of the ‘Burgh to stop sounding muffled as though he was wearing earphones. Drink. He needed a drink. Just one, he promised himself. Just one to help him calm down. Pushing himself up on unsteady legs, he meandered his way to the closest Irish bar where he could drown his sorrows and his demons in the best way he knew how.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kat was beside herself. Tommy was supposed to have come by for dinner at six and he hadn’t shown up. Six hours later and he wasn’t answering any of her calls or texts. In the end, she had turned on full stalker mode and found his sister in law, Tess, on facebook and was currently on the phone to her at that moment.

“Brendan’s tried calling anyone in the area he can think of,” Tess was saying, trying to keep the edge of worry out of her voice because she didn’t want Kat to start crying again.

Kat of course had been mortified the first time she burst into tears on the phone, but then she had explained to Tess that Tommy’s behaviour the last time she had been with him had been on her mind a lot. Tess understood completely and although she was thankful that Tommy had found someone who obviously cared about him so much, part of her did want to tell Kat to cut her losses and run before things got too serious. It wasn’t because she didn’t want Tommy to be happy; god knew he deserved it, but was his happiness worth the cost of someone else’s? He and Kat had only been seeing each other a couple of months and already the girl was crying over him and issues.

“Hang on, Tess, let me just get the door,” Kat said suddenly as she heard a knock at the front door. “Tommy? Oh my god, where the hell have you been? What happened to you?”

Tess called out to Brendan to let him know Tommy was at Kat’s, and she listened to the sounds of shuffling and Tommy’s murmuring on the other end of the phone. The phone line suddenly went dead and a few seconds later, Tess glanced to see the message from Kat saying she promised to call in the morning. Tess sighed, wondering what on earth sort of trouble Tommy Conlon had gotten himself into this time.

“Heyyyyyy Kat,” Tommy slurred, brushing his lips against her cheek. “You ok baby?”

“Not really,” she muttered. “Where the hell have you been, Tommy?”

“Just out,” he shrugged. “You got anything to drink?”

“I think you’ve already had plenty,” she muttered.

Tommy pulled back and towered over her angrily, his blue eyes blazing with fury. One of his eyebrows was split open as well as his bottom lip; his knuckles were bloody and one side of his face was swollen and bruised.

“You telling me I can’t have another drink?” he slurred.

“You’re a grown man and I guess you can do whatever the fuck you want,” she answered taking a step back. “But you can go and do it somewhere else because you quite clearly couldn’t give a flying fuck that you were supposed to be here hours ago and I’ve spent all night worrying about you. Then you finally show up drunk and looking like you’ve been in a bar fight.”

“You’re hot when you’re angry, kitty Kat,” Tommy purred, stepping closer and reaching for her waist. “You wanna kiss me better, babe?”

“You’re a jerk,” Kat slapped his hand away. “Just go to bed to Tommy; go sleep off whatever _this_ is.”

“Hmm, that an offer?” he tried to wink, his eyes darkening with lust.

“No, it’s not,” she spat. “I’m going to bed. Alone. You can sleep of the sofa or you can fuck off somewhere else.”

Kat was trembling when slammed her bedroom door shut and leant back against it. Tears poured down her cheeks; relief that Tommy had come back but shock and distaste for the state in which he had returned to her. She sat there crying, waiting for him to come knocking on the bedroom door; part of her almost hoping that he would so that she could ask him why on earth he had gotten into such a state, but then in all honesty she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The sun was beaming through the open living room curtains and Tommy cracked open a bleary eye, wincing at the bright light that surrounded him. He sat up, scratching at his tousled hair and looking around only to realise he was on the sofa in Kat’s apartment. His throat was as dry as the Sahara and his head was pounding. His face was aching and he vaguely recalled getting into a fight at O’Malley’s the night before with some punk and his friends who thought they could take him on and win. He also remembered how angry Kat had been with him and he hated himself for letting her see him in such a state.

“You’re awake then?”

Kat walked into the living room with two steaming cups of coffee and handed one to him before taking a seat on the opposite sofa. She didn’t say anything else, just sipped at her drink and avoided looking at him. There were bags under her eyes and Tommy’s heart clenched with the realisation that he was the cause of them.

“I need to go out for groceries,” she said suddenly. “Do you want me to make you some breakfast before I go?”

“Kat-“

“-Or if you’d prefer to make it in a little while then there’s eggs in the fridge and there’s some rye bread on the side-“

“Kat-“

“-Oh and I think there might be some avocado in the fruit bowl as well,” she continued to ignore his attempts to speak with her.

“Kat, will you just listen to me,” he slammed his mug down on the coffee table, sending its contents flying out and causing Kat to jump. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, wishing that of all the things he inherited from Paddy Conlon it could have been something other than his temper. “I’m sorry.”

“I think that while I’m out getting groceries you should probably leave actually,” Kat clenched her jaw and stood up.

Tommy was up and across the room, putting himself in between Kat and the doorway before she could exit the room. She tried to get past him but his huge frame filled the entire doorway and she was essentially prevented from leaving, even though Kat knew if she tried to shove him he would move away, albeit reluctantly.

“Look at me,” Tommy murmured, not making a move to touch her even as his fingers ached to do so. “Please.”

The slight crack in his voice was Kat’s undoing and when she looked up, the anguish in his eyes made her own start to water. That toned body housed a small boy who was broken and needed someone to love and nurture him, but how could she do that if he kept shutting her out?

“I’m sorry about last night,” he cupped her face, using the pad of his thumb to wipe the stray tear that rolled down her cheek. “Please don’t cry.”

“I can’t help it,” she whispered. “I was so worried and then you turned up hurt and drunk and-“

“-I know,” he pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head and squeezing his eyes shut. “I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t want your apologies, Tommy. I want you to be honest with me; I want you to talk to me about the things that are bothering you. I… like you a lot but I can’t do this; not being open with each other. I can’t pretend to even understand just a little bit about the things you’ve been through but I want to help you because I care about you. I can’t do that if you keep shutting me out.”

Kat pulled back to peer up into Tommy’s face, and she could see the indecision and discomfort in his face as he chewed on his lip and stared at the wall behind her head. She could see that it was taking everything in him not to refuse her or to run away.

“I’m not against you,” she said, touching the cut on his eyebrow. “I’m with you; or at least I will be if you’ll let me.”

He nodded; barely. A slight movement of the head that she wouldn’t have noticed if she had blinked but it was an affirmation nonetheless and it was a start. Taking his hand, Kat led Tommy to the bedroom, drawing the curtains before cuddling up beside him in bed and pulling the covers over them both. Her gesture brought a small smile to Tommy’s full mouth because it was as though she knew how much easier this would be for him when he felt as though she couldn’t see him properly. It somehow felt easier with a sort of anonymity.

With Kat in his arms, his hands wandered the length of her body while he spoke to her about his mother and Manny. He’d told her about them before of course, but he’d never shared with her just how much they haunted his every thought. Unlike that stupid shrink he saw, Kat didn’t once interrupt or ask stupid questions about how he felt. She just lay her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating beneath her ear, and listened to him tell things he had never told anyone. When he cried and he felt the familiar beginnings of a panic attack, Kat seemed to sense it and rolled off of him to allow him some breathing space, but she took his hand gently in her own and kept it there which made him feel like he wasn’t riding the anxious waves alone.

“When I was fifteen, I was walking home from school and a girl from my class cornered me. She thought I kissed her boyfriend,” Kat said quietly, filling the silence. “I didn’t. Hell, I didn’t even know who her boyfriend was, but she wouldn’t believe it. She had a couple of other girls with her and I can’t remember which one hit me first but soon enough all three of them joined in. Occasionally I wake up in the night and I can’t breathe because I think I can feel them kicking and punching me,” she lifted her body to hover over Tommy’s slightly. “We all have a past, Tommy and we all have demons; some worse than others. But one thing we all have in common is that we’re not alone, or at least we don’t have to be. You’re not alone anymore.”

Tommy grazed her cheek with the back of his hand, looking into her eyes and wondering where someone so beautiful inside and out had come from and how he had been the lucky one to find her. Her lips touched his gently, almost a question which he answered with hesitation and when their bodies joined moments later, Tommy realised that he could never be without her in his life.

“I love you, Kat,” he whispered hoarsely as he sat upright and clasped her body to his as he thrust up into her. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Tommy,” she breathed, their noses touching; their breaths mingling as they moved slowly together.

Tommy Conlon really wasn’t alone anymore.


	7. Seven

Tommy switched the shower off and wondered if there was a cat being strangled somewhere in the apartment. Upon reaching the kitchen however, he realised it was just _his_ Kat singing; or rather attempting to sing.

“Did anyone tell you never to apply for one of those shitty singing shows,” he said, rubbing at his hair with a towel and grinning at her from the kitchen door way.

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a dream crusher?” Kat called out from over her shoulder as she washed the last of the dishes in the sink. “I’ll have you know, Tommy Conlon, that when I’m in the shower my audience always ask for an encore, and yesterday I even won a grammy for best new artist.”

“You’re a crazy girl,” he chuckled.

“Yes but I’m your crazy girl,” she smiled, drying off her hands and then turning around only to stop in her tracks when her eyes fell to the towel slung dangerously low on Tommy’s hips.

“See something you like, Kit Kat?” he smirked, walking towards her with that predator look in his eyes.

“Meh,” she shrugged, feigning indifference but Tommy wasn’t buying any of it.

He stalked towards her until he had her backed up against the kitchen side and he placed his arms either side of her, effectively trapping her. Kat groaned when he gently kissed her neck and the smell of his sandalwood and mandarin body wash enveloped her. His teeth grazed her skin and she reached out to grab his muscled arms in an attempt to keep herself upright when he pushed his hips against hers. The only barrier between them was his fluffy towel and her thin pyjama shorts, and when Tommy rolled his hips in a circular motion she was done for. She yanked off the towel around his waist and used the other towel around his shoulders to pull his lips down to her own.

“Mm,” Tommy moaned, slipping his tongue into her mouth as her hand reached down to stroke his hard length.

Kat tore away from the kiss abruptly and before Tommy could question it, she was on her knees taking him into her mouth.

“Fuck,” he hissed as her tongue circled the tip which was already weeping with his desire. His hands were in her messy hair, still not brushed, and when Kat hummed around him it sent a jolt right to his balls.

Tommy dragged her up hurriedly to her feet, helping her to wriggle out of her bottoms before he all but threw her on top of the kitchen counter. He pushed inside of her slowly, cupping her breasts through her thin top and pinching her nipples. She locked her ankles around his waist as he pushed her backwards until she was lying down. He pushed up her top so he could see her breasts move with every thrust of his hips and he had to clench his jaw to stop himself from losing it already. He was so damn close and his breath was coming out in short, shallow gasps. Kat was writhing and whimpering and Tommy was about to reach his hand down to help her out when she suddenly sat up with a start.

“Shit! The brownies!”

She was across the other side of the kitchen before Tommy could even blink and when she yanked open the oven door, a huge cloud of smoke came billowing out.

“Oh Jesus fucking H Christ on a bike!” she actually stamped her foot childishly, using the oven mitt to pull out a tray of what looked like charcoal. “Oh great. Well, now they’re ruined.”

“They don’t look so bad,” Tommy grimaced.

“They would have been perfect if you hadn’t have distracted me!”

“Excuse me?” Tommy raised an eyebrow.“You’re the one who undressed me and started sucking me off, so how the hell am I getting the blame for this?”

“Because you waltzed in here with your little towel barely covering you and you were all dripping wet and you just expect me to-“

“-What? Have a little self control?” he teased, pulling her against him with a smirk.

“Don’t you start that again,” Kat glared when his hands started rubbing at her bottom. “I gotta make some more brownies before we go to Brendan’s.”

“You can do that after,” Tommy murmured, nipping at her neck making her break out in goosebumps.

“No I cannot,” she slapped his hand away as it travelled around her hip. “Now you go and put some clothes on Tommy Conlon because you’re a distraction I do not need right now.”

“Oh Kat,” Tommy looked down at her and shook his head in mock disappointment. “I’m afraid you’ve left me no other choice.”

Kat squealed when Tommy picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Her protestations went completely ignored and in the end Tommy smacked her on the bottom to shut her up. He threw her on the bed and was on her before she could even try to escape.

“You’re a bad bad man,” she murmured.

“Yes, I am.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Kat was sulking. Tommy knew this because he had put Dolly Parton on and even though he could see she was desperate to sing, she pressed her lips together tightly and didn’t even tap her feet on the floor like usual.

“Babe, no one will care that the brownies are store bought,” he reached across and put a hand on her knee, while the other kept hold of the steering wheel.

“ _I_ care,” Kat muttered, casting him a narrowed look that he couldn’t help but grin at. “You’re not supposed to laugh, you’re supposed to be scared when I give you that look, Tommy.”

“My bad,” Tommy snorted as they turned into Brendan’s driveway. “But just so you know, I am actually terrified of you right now. I just gotta maintain my tough guy image in front of the Brendan.”

“Ha ha,” Kat stuck her tongue out, glaring at him as she jumped out of the truck.

The girls were out of the door and running down the driveway, squealing and shouting excitedly at Kat and Tommy who were just as excited to see them both. Kat was almost knocked over by the force of Rosie and Emily flinging themselves at her for a hug, and she grinned as she squeezed them tightly.

“We’re so excited you’re here!” Rosie jumped up and down giddily. “Mommy let us bring our dressing up things to the living room so we can play dress up princess with you like at my birthday!”

“Yeah and I made you a picture with my new glitter paints!” Emily took her hand and began to lead her into the house.

“Oh wow that all sounds so good,” Kat smiled genuinely. The girls were so sweet and their enthusiasm for everything was so infectious that it had made Kat completely forget the brownie debacle at all.

“Do I not get a hello?” she heard Tommy ask as he appeared with the bags of food and gifts for the girls that they had picked up on the way.

“Hey Uncle Tommy,” the girls smiled, barely acknowledging him as they continued to drag Kat towards the front door where Brendan and Kat were waiting with amused expressions.

“Good to see you, Kat,” Brendan smiled, planting a polite kiss upon her cheek before Tess pulled her in for a friendly hug.

“Thanks for inviting us,” Kat answered. “We’re really looking forward to spending the afternoon with you guys.”

“It’s no problem,” Tess said. “The girls are always excited to see Tommy and they’re even more excited to you. They’ve been up and dressed since the crack of dawn.”

“Aw that’s sweet,” Kat grinned. “They’ll get bored of me eventually when the novelty of me being a new face wears off.”

“Yeah and then maybe they’ll remember that I was here long before you and I’m way more fun,” Tommy muttered, finally reaching the door and casting Kat a look of disgust.

“Aw is somebody jealous?” Tess grinned.

“Not jealous exactly, more like hurt.”

“Emily, Rosie, you better get over here and give your Uncle Tommy a hug quickly before he cries,” Tess chuckled.

“Uncle Tommy is crying,” Emily was horrified and came running over immediately. She wrapped arms around his waist, not caring that her little face was pressed awkwardly against his crotch and Tommy quickly scooped her up into his arms.

“I’m not crying now cos I finally got a hug off my best girl,” he grinned, kissing the tip of her scrunched up button nose.

“Why is Emily your best girl?” Rosie pouted sullenly.

With a roll of his eyes, Tommy set Emily down and swung Rosie up into his arms like a doll, bending down to kiss her forehead and pretending to be in pain when she flung her arms around his neck and refused to let go.

“Am I your best girl too, Uncle Tommy?”

“Absolutely,” Tommy smiled. “You and Emily are my two best girls in the whole wide world.”

“And Kat’s your favourite lady?”

“Nah,” Tommy gave her a look of disgust. “There’s no way a lady who couldn’t be bothered to make brownies this morning and instead bought them from the store could ever be my favourite.”

“Tommy!” Kat slapped his arm gently.

“What?” he feigned innocence. “I’m just saying it like it is, Kit Kat.”

“I hate you,” Kat narrowed her eyes at him.

“Mommy!” Rosie gasped. “Kat said the huh word. Is she in trouble now?”

“Heaps of trouble,” Tommy winked at Kat and grinned like the cat who had gotten the cream.

“Alright you two,” Tess pulled a face, but her eyes were twinkling playfully. “Save whatever _this_ is for when you get home please otherwise I’m gonna be sick.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Brendan couldn’t believe the difference in Tommy since he had been seeing Kat. The girls were playing in their tree fort while the grown ups were sitting and enjoying a few beers. Tommy looked a lot more relaxed than Brendan had ever seen him as he sat with his hand holding Kat’s on the table. His shoulders were without their usual tension and when he smiled it looked genuine and almost carefree.

“Isn’t that right Brendan?”

“Huh?” he frowned, realising that Tess was talking to him.

“I was telling Kat and Tommy about Rosie getting the lead in her class show,” Tess eyeballed him. “But I could have been telling them that Rosie was going out drinking and doing drugs on the weekend and you’d have still had that dense look on your face cos you obviously weren’t listening.”

“Sorry hun,” Brendan smirked, taking a swig of his beer. “I was just thinking about how nice it is to see Tommy without a scowl on his face.”

“I don’t scowl,” Tommy scowled making them all laugh, and Kat kissed him cheek when he blushed.

“Aw look at that, Bren,” Tess smiled. “Remember when we were all newly in love like that.”

“Yeah, what happened to us, eh?”

“Well we had to kids and you got a beer belly,” Tess teased.

“Ouch,” Brendan hissed, pretending she had burnt him. “I’m gonna get you for that.”

“Have to catch me first,” Tess snorted, jumping up from the table and running to the tree fort where she screamed for the girls to defend her from Daddy.

Tommy and Kat watched on in amusement as Brendan left the table and all hell broke loose at the other end of the garden. The girls it seemed were not very good defenders because it wasn’t too long before Brendan had Tess in his arms and was kissing her soundly much to the girls’ approval.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Kat felt Tommy stiffen instantaneously at the sound of his father’s voice. Paddy Conlon looked harmless enough in his paperboy cap and his suit jacket, shuffling towards the table with a warm smile on his red face, and Kat almost found it hard to believe he was the same man that Tommy told her such awful childhood stories about. But there was something behind Paddy’s old man facade that seemed as though it could easily turn nasty, and while Kat liked the man, she couldn’t help but feel anger for everything he had put his family through for years. She couldn’t help but resent the fact that if Paddy hadn’t have behaved the way he had, Tommy never would have gone through everything he did with his mother and Manny. She found herself lying bed night after night, holding his trembling body to hers, listening to him cry silently, and wishing she could take all of the bad things away from him.

“What are you doing here?” Tommy couldn’t hide his feelings; they were written all over his face and could be heard in his voice.

“I, uh, just came by on the off chance that Tess and Brendan were in,” Paddy smiled, as though he hadn’t noticed the resentment from his youngest son. “And then I saw your car here too and I thought I would stop come and say hi. I rang the doorbell but nobody answered and then I heard the girls in the back and-“

“-Grandpa! Grandpa!”

Paddy’s face lit up with joy when his granddaughters came bounding over to him, and beside Kat, Tommy clenched his jaw angrily and his hand subconsciously squeezed Kat’s. He hated seeing his old man behaving like this gentle giant; hated seeing his hands holding the girls when those hands had done nothing but hurt him at their age.

“Are you gonna come play with us, Grandpa?” Rosie asked.

“Oh, I should like that,” Paddy patted her head affectionately, standing upright to greet Tess and Brendan, who covered up their feelings a little better than Tommy was doing. “I’ll just sit and say hello to your Dad and Uncle Tommy then I’ll come over to play.”

“Nice to see you, Paddy,” Tess gave an almost convincing smile. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”

Rosie ran off back to the tree fort to play with her dolls, but Emily didn’t want to leave her grandfather.

“Oh Grandpa, Mommy made lemomade,” Emily scrunched up her nose sweetly as she mispronounced the word. “It’s really delicious.”

“In that case I’ll have to try some then,” Paddy smiled, taking off his hat and sitting down opposite Tommy and Kat.

Brendan could see Tommy’s unease and the way Kat looked at him, he knew she could see it too.

“So what brings you this way, Pop?” Brendan asked.

“Oh, one of the ladies from my AA group was doing a charity fundraiser not too far from here, and she managed to coddle me into helping out,” Paddy explained, thanking Tess as she set a drink down in front of him.

Emily climbed up onto his lap, ignoring her father’s protestations and grinning when Paddy kissed the top of her head and let her have a sip of his drink.

“You helping out at a charity fundraiser?” Tommy snorted, taking a sip of his beer. “Saint Paddy, eh?”

“Do you know if they raised much money?” Kat asked politely, trying to break the tension somewhat.

“I’m not sure yet,” Paddy shrugged. “I suppose I’ll find out in the week when I see Jean.”

“Jean, huh?” Tommy took another sip of his beer. “So is Jean just your friend, Pop, or is she something a little more than that? Cos the Paddy Conlon I know doesn’t do anything for anyone else unless he’s gonna get something out of it.”

“Tommy,” Paddy sighed sadly, as Tess quietly told Emily to go and check if Rosie was alright on the tree fort.

“What?” Tommy sniffed agitatedly, his eyes darkening now that the little girl was out of earshot. “The truth hurt old man?”

“Tommy, I don’t think that this is-“ Kat interjected, putting a hand on Tommy’s arm.

“-No offence, Kat but this is aint really none of your business,” he shrugged her off of him.

“Hey come on now,” Paddy frowned. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” Tommy laughed coldly, pushing his chair back to stand up. “I’m not talking to Kat like anything so don’t you dare sit there and look at me like that.”

“Son, I’m not looking at you like anything,” Paddy stood, his eyes imploring Tommy to believe him.

“Yes you fucking are,” Tommy spat. “You’re looking at me as though I would do something to hurt Kat, when I would sooner die than lay a fucking hand on her. And you wanna know why? Cos I’m not you. I don’t lay my hands on women and then tell them I love them. You can go to your fucking AA meetings and help Joan or whatever the fuck her name is at her charity fundraisers, but that will never erase all of the nasty shit you did in the past. It won’t bring back Mom and neither will it stop me closing my eyes night after night to see her face bleeding after you’d pounded the fucking shit out of her. So don’t you _ever_ sit there and look at _me_ like I would ever lay a finger on that girl because I love her. Come on, Kat, we’re leaving.”

“Tommy, just come and sit down, man,” Brendan tried to reason with him, as Kat stood up apologetically and reached for her handbag off the floor. 

“Nah I’m done,” Tommy’s walk was determined and angry, and he didn’t even bother waiting for Kat to catch him before he stormed through the house.

“Sorry Brendan,” Kat murmured, as they followed Tommy.

“Don’t you say sorry,” Brendan touched her shoulder reassuringly. “He gets like this sometimes.”

“I know, I just wish I knew how to help him.”

“He’s the only come who can help himself, Kat,” Brendan spoke sadly. “He’s gotta try and let go of the past.”

“I don’t think he can,” Kat’s eyes were filling with tears.

“Are you two done psychoanalysing me yet?” Tommy turned around, his face thundering with anger. “It’s so easy for you Brendan to talk about letting go of the past because you didn’t live through half the shit I did.”

“That’s not fair, Tommy,” Brendan looked genuinely hurt.

“No! You know what’s not fair?” Tommy pushed his face right in front of his brother’s. “Is that every day it all fucking hurts so much! It hurts and I can’t make it go away! You can forget the past cos your past doesn’t eat you up every fucking day like mine does! You didn’t watch your best friend die! You didn’t watch our fucking mother die either because you were too busy here playing boyfriend and girlfriend with Tess!”

“And you can’t hold that over me for the rest of our goddamn lives!” Brendan shouted.

“I can and I fucking will!” Tommy roared.

He turned to storm out of the house and Kat reached out to grab him by the shoulder. In his rage, he didn’t think about who was touching him, only that he didn’t want them to be and he had pushed Kat away so roughly that she fell before he even realised it was her. Kat landed on the floor with a thump and managed to catch her head on the side of the door frame.

And that was when everything went black.


	8. Chapter Eight

Kat blinked. Everything was fuzzy. The lights above her seemed to be so bright and she squinted in pain. Somewhere in her periphery she could hear a voice and she felt something touch her hand. She looked to her left and Tommy’s face appeared, tight lines of concern etched upon it and his mouth was moving. He was talking to her she realised. She blinked again; shook her head slightly and suddenly she felt like she was back in the real world.

“Oh God, Kat,” Tommy murmured, taking hold of her face gently. “I’m so so sorry.”

Sorry? Kat frowned but then she remembered.

“Baby, I’m really so sorry,” Tommy whispered and that was when Kat noticed he had been crying. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy and without even thinking, she reached out a hand to catch the tear that rolled down his cheek.

“Don’t cry, Tommy,” she said. “It’s alright. It was an accident.”

“It’s not alright,” Tommy shook his head; self disgust pouring from him like sticky, black tar. “I lost my temper and you got caught in the crossfire, and now you’re in a hospital bed with stitches and a concussion.”

“I’ve had worse,” Kat smiled. “And unlike at work, at least I don’t have to get a tetanus shot for this.”

“It’s not funny, Kat,” Tommy swallowed. “You could have been really hurt.”

Kat sighed. What was she supposed to say? She loved Tommy and she knew he hadn’t meant to hurt her. He thought it was Paddy reaching out for him. But the truth was that as her thoughts became a little clearer with every passing second, all she could think about was the rage that had exuded from him at Brendan’s. It was nothing short of terrifying.

“You’re right, it’s not funny,” Kat said finally. “And I think that in order for this relationship to keep going we need to talk about a few things.”

Tommy nodded; shoulders slumped and self loathing evident in his eyes. He leaned back in the chair and folded his arms over his chest; a gesture that Kat knew he did when he felt like he needed to emotionally protect himself.

“I know that you have a lot of issues with your Dad,” she began. “And I won’t lie and tell you I understand because I don’t, but I don’t need to understand to know that whatever you’re feeling is slowly killing you. The hatred you feel for him is poisoning you inside, Tommy. It’s eating you alive and you’re letting it. I know you can’t just forget everything he did to you and your Mom and I’m not asking you to, I’m really not, but you need to forgive him.”

“Excuse me?” Tommy scoffed. “Forgive him? Look Kat, I know you’re just trying to help but I honestly can’t believe you’re expecting me to forgive that old bastard.”

“You have to, Tommy,” Kat was starting to cry now because she wanted him so desperately to see what she did. “You have to because one day you’re gonna lash out and there will be no second chance.”

“Kat,” Tommy reached out and took her hand. “I promise you that I never meant to hurt you; you were just in the way and-“

“-I’m not talking about what happened today,” she sighed. “I just mean that one day you’re gonna say something to your Dad to hurt him and then you’ll never get a chance to make it right, or you’ll punch Brendan a little too hard and he won’t wake up. You _need_ to forgive your Dad, not for him or for anyone else but for yourself. Do you think your Mom would want to see you destroying your life like this? Do you not think she would want you to move on and live because right now you’re not living; you’re just about existing and nothing else.”

“It’s not that easy,” Tommy murmured, his voice cracking slightly. “I don’t wanna feel like this; you have no idea how much I don’t, but I just can’t forget everything that he did to us, Kat.”

“I know that, Tommy,” a tear slid down Kat’s face as she sat up and reached for his face gently. “And only a robot could forget everything you’ve been through, but you need to put it away somewhere; close the door and lock it so that you can have a chance at being happy.”

“I _am_ happy; I’ve got you.”

“But that’s not enough, Tommy. You think I can’t see your brain ticking over whenever we’re together? I love you; you have no idea how much I love you but I can’t continue watching you destroy yourself like this and destroy everyone else around you.”

“So what are you saying?” Tommy scowled, his face turning angry just as it always did when he was hurt and trying to protect himself. Tommy’s motto; if in danger of being hurt, lash out. “You’re breaking up with me, huh? Why am I not surprised? I fucked this up just like I fuck everything up.”

“No, Tommy,” Kat shook her head. “I’m breaking up with you, you absolute moron.”

“You’re not?”

“No,” Kat scoffed. “I love you, you idiot. And when you love someone you don’t just bail on them when things get a little tough; you help them through it which is exactly what I’m trying to do.”

Tommy nodded, relief flooding his tense features, softening them into a smile as he leaned forward to brush his lips against Kat’s.

“I promise I’ll do whatever you ask to make sure I don’t lose you,” Tommy spoke quietly.

“I don’t you to do anything for me. I want you to do things for you; for your inner peace.”

Before Tommy could answer, there for a gentle knock on the door and a middle aged woman with friendly eyes and tortoiseshell glasses appeared.

“So you’re awake then?” the woman smiled. “I’m Doctor Powers. How are you feeling?”

“Yeah I’m ok thank you,” Kat answered. “Head’s a little sore but I think apart from that I’m doing good.”

“Glad to hear it,” the doctor nodded. “Your head scan looks good so it’s most definitely just a concussion but to be on the safe side we’ll keep you in overnight.”

“Is that necessary?” Kat pulled a face. “I’ve got work in the morning and-“

“-I already phoned Stacey and said you won’t be in for a few days,” Tommy interrupted her. “And I’m gonna back to ours now and grab you some toiletries and things.”

Kat wondered if Tommy even noticed how he had referred to her apartment as _their_ apartment, and she bit the inside of her cheek to try and not smile because she realised she wasn’t unhappy about the fact he pretty much had moved himself in with her over the past few weeks.

“I’ll bring you some food too,” Tommy said leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. “Cos I know how fussy you are.”

Once Tommy left, the doctor came over to do a few tests on Kat; checking her eyes and her reflexes and so on. Satisfied that everything seemed as it should, the doctor just had one final thing to say, and Kat could tell by the look on her face that it was something rather serious.

“Is it ok if I call you Kat?” she asked, perching on the edge of the bed delicately.

“Sure.”

“Ok, I know that when you came in your partner said that you had fallen and banged your head,” the doctor spoke almost hesitantly. “But I just wanted to check that’s what actually happened, because if there’s something going on that you want to tell me about, then I assure you it will be kept in the strictest confidence.”

“Excuse me?” Kat frowned.

“It’s just that a lot of people find it hard to admit when they’re in an abusive relationship because they’re afraid, but there is help out there, Kat. There are organisations and things that will-“

“- I’m not sure exactly what you’re trying to insinuate,” Kat was aghast at what the doctor was saying. “But Tommy never has and never would hurt me, and I’d really appreciate if you could leave now.”

“Miss O’Donnell, it’s alright to be upset,” the woman tilted her head sympathetically, pulling some pamphlets out of her pocket and holding them out to Kat. “Just have a little think and if you need anything, there are people who will help.”

Kat yanked the leaflets out of the doctor’s hand angrily and screwed them up as the woman closed the door quietly behind her. How fucking dare she think Tommy had done this. Sure, he _had_ done it technically but not in the way the doctor obviously presumed and the very idea made Kat feel sick. Tommy had so much anger inside of him but aside from sometimes losing his temper and shouting, he had never so much as even tried to lay a hand on her. Bursting into tears, Kat curled up into a ball and closed her eyes. Her heart felt like it was breaking because she realised that she could tell Tommy to make amends with his Dad and heal himself until she was blue in the face, but ultimately the choice was his. And she was terrified that she was going to watch the person she loved sink further and further down into the darkness that was clawing at him constantly.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

As Tommy neared Kat’s apartment block, he didn’t notice his Pop’s car until the old man climbed out wearing his ever present cap and looking like he had the weight of the world on his broad shoulders.

“What do you want?” Tommy scowled, clenching his jaw just as he did every time he saw his father. Just being in his very presence angered Tommy.

“I just came to make sure Kat was ok?”

“What do you think? She’s in hospital with a concussion and five stitches, no thanks to you.”

“That’s not fair, Tommy,” Paddy sighed.

“No?” Tommy pushed his face into his father’s. “Cos the way I see it, if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have lost my temper. And in case you’d forgotten, when I turned and pushed Kat, I thought it was you!”

“Well the way I see it, you lost your temper and you’re looking for someone else to blame instead of yourself. I know a thing or two about that.”

“If you’re trying to compare me to you then you’re wrong, old man,” Tommy growled. “I am nothing like you.”

“You’re a lot like me, Tommy,” Paddy said sadly. “And I’m sorry for that because I never gave you a chance to be anything different.”

“No you didn’t! You fucked me up the first time I saw you punch my Mom in the face; the first time you punched _me_ in the face. You only told me you loved me when I won a competition as a kid and the rest of the time you treated me like I was the shit on your shoe; you treated us all that way. And when we left, Mom and I, we couldn’t even escape you,” Tommy’s voice cracked and his bottom lip trembled slightly. “She would have nightmares that you had found us; she’d wake up sweating and shaking. She’d come and check on me and make sure I was still there on the sofa in the living room where I slept because she was terrified you would find us and take me away from her. And when she was dying, she would beg me never to turn out like you; to find a woman and settle down and treat her like she was the most precious thing in the world. And now I’ve found that someone and because of you I’m so close to losing her.”

“Tommy,” Paddy’s voice broke as well; the anguish on his son’s face killing him inside. Reaching a hand out, Paddy didn’t know how to feel when Tommy allowed himself to be pulled into an embrace. His tense shoulders slumped and they began to shake as he cried silently. “I’m so sorry, Tommy. I’m so so sorry.”

“Pop, I don’t wanna hurt anymore. Not from any of it. You, Mom, Manny. I can’t do it anymore.”

“You can,” Paddy lifted Tommy’s face and held his cheek with more gentleness than he had ever offered his youngest son in his life. “Tommy, I’ll never be able to change the past but I want to help fix the future if you’ll let me? _Please_ let me.”

“Alright,” Tommy nodded, sniffing and placing a hand over his father’s cold one. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but Kat’s words echoed in his mind and gave him strength.

It wasn’t going to be easy for either of them but perhaps Tommy and Paddy Conlon could find a way to be father and son once more.


	9. Chapter Nine

_One month later_

“Fuck, Tommy.”

Kat’s head was thrown back against the pillow and Tommy pressed his lips to the fluttering pulse on her bared neck, feeling it beating beneath his mouth as Kat clenched around him in pleasure.

“I love you, Kat,” he murmured, shifting his hips and grunting out his own release inside of her.

“I love you too,” she hummed, threading her hands through his hair as they held each other tightly.

Tommy closed his eyes as his breathing slowed and Kat’s hands in his sweaty hair made him feel sleepy. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so content, and he didn’t mean right in that second. He meant just in general.

After the fight at Brendan’s that had seen Kat wind up in hospital with a concussion, Tommy had really been trying his hardest to get himself back on track because he was terrified to lose the one good thing in his life.

He had found a new therapist; a middle-aged guy who was ex-military and easy to get along with. He had also been attending AA meetings once a week with his old man in an attempt to try and help him in his recovery and build bridges between the two of them. Then to top it off, he had been attending family therapy with his Pop and Brendan twice weekly. It wasn’t always easy; talking about himself, Manny, his mother, his resentment towards Brendan and their father, but slowly he felt like he was making progress. He had even stuck to taking the new pills that the therapist had given him, and his nightmares were starting to happen less and less. Tommy was beginning to think that while he would never be able to truly forget his past, perhaps he finally had a chance to not let it ruin his future.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“Sorry babe,” he smiled down at Kat, kissing her forehead as he gathered her up in his arms. “I was just thinking about how happy I am.”

“Yeah?” she grinned.

“Yeah,” Tommy nodded. “It feels…good.”

“Wow, and you almost said that without grimacing,” Kat teased, absentmindedly tracing the outline of his nipple with her fingertip, watching it pucker up into a point. “So, my mom called today.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep,” Kat nodded, leaning over to brush her tongue across his nipple lightly. “It’s her and my dad’s anniversary at the weekend and she was calling to double check I’m still coming to visit. She, uh, asked me if you were coming too.”

Tommy could hear the slight question in Kat’s voice, and he remembered that when she had asked him a few weeks back he had told her he would think about it. Truthfully, he hadn’t given it any thought since then.

“Do you want me to come?” he asked.

“Obviously,” she scoffed. “But I don’t want you to come because it’s what I want. I want you to come because you want to. I don’t want you to feel forced into coming.”

She was too good to him. That was Tommy’s first thought. The second was that he really wasn’t sure that he wanted to go to Kat’s parents for the weekend.

“Tommy, I won’t be offended if you don’t come,” Kat reassured him, sensing his indecision. “But I will miss you that’s for sure.”

She enclosed her mouth around his hardened nipple, flicking it with her tongue and grazing it with her teeth until he hissed.

“You,” Tommy grabbed her by the hair and forced her to meet his darkening gaze. “Are a very bad girl, do you know that?”

“Tell me something I don’t know, Conlon.”

…………

“Why do you come in here lookin’ like that with your cowboy boots and your painted on jeans…”

Tommy tried his hardest to concentrate on the road ahead of him, but all he could focus on was Dolly fucking Parton beside him, screeching like a banshee with a fake Tennessee accent and everything. It Saturday morning and they only had another half an hour until they reached Kat’s parent’s house on the outskirts of Cincinnati. Kat was far too chipper for someone who had been up since five in the morning getting herself ready and packing as though she was going away for a month and not just one night.

“Babe, as wonderful as your singing is,” Tommy turned the radio down. “Can you just give it a rest for ten minutes? I’m getting a headache.”

“That’s rude,” Kat pretended to huff, before unclipping her seatbelt so that she could reach around onto the backseat for something.

When she couldn’t reach, she climbed over the gearstick and almost knocked the car out of gear. Tommy swatted her playfully on the ass before slipping his hand underneath her to grab the gearstick.

“Gotcha,” Kat grinned triumphantly and then turned back to the front, slumping down in her seat once more.

She pulled out a chocolate twist and practically inhaled the thing before Tommy’s eyes.

“You wanna give me some of that?” he muttered with a raised eyebrow, smirking when Kat attempted to grin with her mouth full. “I’m just kidding, chipmunk. You keep it all to yourself. After all, it’s not like I’m the one whose been driving for the past four hours while you have a nap and then perform a collection of your greatest hits.”

“You don’t even like chocolate,” Kat exclaimed indignantly. “You said it’s the devil’s food.”

“I’m only winding you up, Kat,” he murmured, putting his hand on her thigh and sliding up a little higher. “I don’t know how I’m gonna be expected to keep my hands off of you all weekend.”

“You won’t have to,” Kat looked at him like he was crazy. “My old bedroom is in the basement so it’s not like anyone would hear us.”

“Kat, I’m not fucking you in your parents’ house.”

“We’ll see about that,” Kat muttered. “Wanna play the question game?”

“The question game?”

“Yeah, you ask each other questions and stuff,” Kat explained. “I’ll go first; what’s one irrational fear you have?”

Tommy frowned and slid Kat a side glance to see if she was being serious. The look she gave him said she was.

“Er, needles,” he answered.

“That’s not an irrational fear,” she rolled her eyes. “Tons of people are afraid of needles. It’s one of the most normal fears in the world.”

“Well, it’s the only fear I have.” _That and losing you._ “What’s your irrational fear then?”

“Sharks in the bathtub.”

“Sharks in the what now?”

“You heard me, Conlon,” Kat eyeballed him. “I am deathly afraid of sharks being in the bathtub, or even in swimming pools for that matter. It all started when my older brother made me watch Jaws. I’ve just been terrified of it ever since. I’m sure you’ve noticed that in the months we have been together, I have never once had a bath and only showered instead.”

“Well yeah, but I just figured that’s because showers are quicker,” Tommy snorted. “I didn’t for one second think it’s because you thought Jaws was gonna be lurking in the water. I mean, how do you think a shark would even get there? Up the plughole or something?”

“I have no idea,” Kat exclaimed loudly. “That’s why it’s called an irrational fear.”

Tommy shook his head; he’d really heard it all now.

“You, Kat, are absolutely fucking crazy,” he patted her thigh. “And it’s a good job I happen to like crazy.”

…………

The car came to a stop outside a modest three bedroom house in the suburbs with a perfectly green lawn and a pure white picket fence, and as he and Kat walked up towards the front door he half expected some sort of Stepford housewife to answer the door. He couldn’t decide whether to be relieved or disappointed when a rather ordinary looking woman with a flowery apron greeted them.

“Mom!” Kat threw her arms around the woman whose hair was as auburn as her daughter’s and her smile as infectious.

“I’ve missed you, baby,” Mrs O’Donnell squeezed Kat before letting go so she could get a good look at her youngest child. “You look thin. Have you not been eating properly?”

“I’ve been eating fine, Mom,” Kat rolled her eyes.

“Hmm, well if you say so,” her mother eyed her disbelievingly, before peering around Kat to get a glimpse of Tommy who was stood awkwardly. “Oh, you must be Tommy? It’s so nice to meet you finally.”

Tommy found himself yanked into an embrace that he couldn’t have fought his way out of even if he had tried.

“Nice to meet you too, Mrs O’Donnell,” he actually blushed.

“Oh, call me Serena,” she slapped his arm playfully. “Mrs O’Donnell makes me sound old like my mother in law. Come on in, won’t you? My husband and Kat’s brother are already here helping to get things ready for the party and they’re really looking forward to meeting you.”

Kat shrugged and watched helplessly as Tommy was dragged into the house to greet the rest of Kat’s family. Poor Tommy. Perhaps she should have warned him that her mother was a little pushy and that she would probably already be sizing him up for a suit as soon as she laid eyes on him. Meh, it was more fun seeing this way.

…………

The party was in full swing and although it wasn’t turning out to be anywhere near as bad as Tommy thought it would be, he still wasn’t completely comfortable. Perhaps it was because Kat’s brother, Patrick, and all of their older male cousins wouldn’t stop peppering Tommy with questions about MMA and his time in the Marines. Perhaps it was because Kat’s teenage cousin kept making excuses to brush past him and press her boobs against his arm. Or maybe it was because Kat’s grandmother had asked him three times when she should buy a hat for the wedding. Drink in hand, he glanced around looking desperately for Kat who had been absent for most of the day helping her mother serve out food and making small talk with friends and family.

“Do you smoke, Tommy?” a voice appeared behind him.

“No, Sir,” he turned to look at Kat’s father.

“You sure about that?” he raised his eyebrows, and Tommy frowned before smirking in understanding. “Come along then, young man.”

Kat’s father, Jim, was a stern looking man but Tommy realised quite quickly it was more of a façade than anything else, because the second they were at the end of the garden hiding at the back of the man’s potting shed, his face broke out into a wide grin.

“They mean well, but they’re all a little overwhelming sometimes,” Jim snorted. “It was Serena’s idea to have a party. I would have been quite content with a trip to Acapulco, but Serena insisted and if you haven’t figured it out by now, Tommy, what women want they always get.”

“I’ll agree with that, Sir,” Tommy chuckled, finding himself feeling progressively more relaxed now that they were away from everyone else.

“So, Kat tells me you’re training for some big fight in Chicago,” Jim lit his cigarette and let out a sigh of relief as the nicotine invaded his system.

“Yes, Sir,” Tommy nodded.

“Call me Jim,” the older man smiled. “I used to a bit of wrestling back in high school, but I only really did it to get the girls; and it worked most of the time. I’m sure a strapping young man like yourself gets a lot of female attention. I noticed my niece was rather interested in you.”

“Yeah, it kinda makes me uncomfortable,” he cringed, scratching the back of his neck and taking a sip of his beer.

“I’m sure Kat will chase any unwanted attention away from you,” Jim smirked. “Then again, knowing my daughter the way I do, she probably gets some sort of strange pleasure from watching you squirm in the pit of vipers.”

Tommy laughed out loud at that because Mr O’Donnell was entirely correct. In fact, just a few weeks ago at a small fight in Philly, Tommy had been swarmed by women clambering for his photo and for them to sign various parts of their body and when he had looked to her for help, she had done nothing more than whip out her phone to photograph his misery and then message it to Tess.

“I see I’ve hit the nail on the head there,” Jim chuckled. “It’s a good job she has a number of redeeming qualities.”

“That’s most definitely true,” Tommy’s face softened as he thought about her. “Did she tell you how we met?”

“Her mother mentioned something about the two of you meeting in a bar.”

“Not entirely untrue,” Tommy smirked. “That was the second time I bumped into her, but the first time was a lot more eventful.”

Mr O’Donnell was doubled over in fits of laughter by the time Tommy had finished regaling him with the tale of Kat pepper spraying him, and all of the noise had been enough to attract the attention of the woman in question.

“What are you two hiding here for?” Kat appeared, a plate of cupcakes in her hand. “And why is my Dad beetroot red? And smoking a cigarette when he told Mom he had given them up?”

“I was telling him how we met,” Tommy explained. “The real story, not the lame ass version you told your mom.”

“Oh Kit Kat, I know I taught you to be wary of people when you’re out at night, but did you really think a would be attacker was going to announce their presence beforehand?” her father laughed.

“I didn’t think about anything that was the whole point,” Kat grinned. “I just panicked.”

“Like that time you did a poop in the swimming pool and tried to carry it into the bathroom before anyone saw?”

“Dad, I was three,” Kat groaned and slapped a hand over her face. “Could you please refrain from telling my boyfriend anymore embarrassing stories about me, please. You’re as bad as mom.”

“Now that’s harsh,” Jim pretended to look hurt.

Tommy watched as Kat allowed herself to be pulled into an embrace with her father, and the older man chortled when Kat said she wouldn’t tell her mother about the cigarette as long as he didn’t embarrass her anymore. Tommy realised with a strange sort of pang in his chest that this was what a normal family looked like. He didn’t know why but he suddenly felt like crying. Sure, things were slowly getting better with Brendan and his old man but with sadness he thought about the fact that no matter how hard he tried, he would always hold some measure of resentment in his heart regarding his childhood.

As though sensing his inner turmoil, Kat untangled herself from her father’s arms and reached for Tommy’s hand. She smiled reassuringly and he squeezed her hand in a silent thanks, grateful for her unwavering support as always.

“I’d best head inside before your mother comes searching for me,” Jim cleared his throat. “You two hide out here for a little while longer and enjoy the peace and quiet, hm?”

As soon as her father had disappeared, Kat stood up on her tiptoes to press her lips against Tommy’s.

“You doing ok?” she peered at him in concern. “We can leave if this is too much? We’ll go to a diner or something until the party’s over?”

“No, I’m good,” Tommy cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her bottom lip as she smiled at him. “I’ll be fine now that you’re here with me.”

Bending down, he kissed her softly, his tongue teasing her lips apart until she opened up to let him in. Kat gripped the front of Tommy’s shirt and tilted her head back so he could deepen their kiss and she pressed her hips against his, groaning at the feel of him hardening.

“I can’t wait to get you into bed tonight,” Tommy murmured against her ear as teeth captured her ear lobe.

“What about the whole ‘I’m not fucking you in your parents’ house’ thing?” she smirked.

“Well, what can I say? When it comes to you Kat O’Donnell, I’m a weak man.”


End file.
